God of War: World's End
by claytron
Summary: In the busy metropolos of New York, Kratos has hidden himself away, isolated from the affairs of gods and demons, heroes and villains, until a mysterious stranger invites him to join the Avengers Initiative. When the Chitauri invasion destroys his home, he has no choice but to seek those responsible and destroy them. Will Kratos redeem the countless evils of his past?
1. The Mysterious Stranger

**God of War: World's End**

DISCLAIMER: This is my first writing endeavor ever, so please feel free to give me writing advice, constructive criticism, etc.

**1**

**The Mysterious Stranger**

Kratos was surrounded by fire, his village engulfed in flame and ash. Kratos turned to face a woman on fire as she staggered towards him, desperately looking for help, desperately searching for water to drench herself, but there was none to be found. Her screams echoed in Kratos' ears. As he backed away from the woman, he stepped on a blackened skull, crushing it beneath his foot. Everywhere he stepped, everywhere he looked, everywhere there was death, scorched earth, and burnt corpses. Kratos coukd only stare at the horror that surrounded him. A s9und came from the ground at his feet. A baby on the ground lay crying, wrapped in a layer of fabric.

"Atreus?"

As soon as he spoke, the baby's face began to melt away, layer by layer. The skin dripped off him like torn tissue paper, then the muscles melted like wax on a candle. The baby reached out his dissolving hand to Kratos only for its arm to break apart like ashes in the wind.

/

Awaking in a cold sweat and breathing heavily, Kratos sat quickly up in his bed. It had been many years since those nightmares woke him, many years since his past had returned to haunt him. He removed the sleep from his eyes and looked to his alarm clock. It was too early to worry about going to work, but there was no chance he could fall back asleep now. He sighed, rubbed his face, raised himself from his bed and shuffled to the kitchen. His small apartment was cheap, but provided the aging man all he needed to live with relative comfort. He had grown so accustomed to the simple things in past centuries. So much has changed so fast. He found it more and more difficult to keep up with the speed of technology. What was once only the power of the gods was now under the control of the mortals. Electricity, flight, space travel, the atom bomb. It still gave him a modicum of amusement to watch the world meet and even surpass the power of the petty gods of old. Humanity had grown up, and in his eyes, it was for the better.

Kratos scooped the coffee into the maker and turned it on. As he went to grab a mug from the cabinet, a faint knock came from the door. Why would anyone be at his door at this hour? Concerned, he moved his way towards the door. Kratos unlocked the four individual locks and opened the door to reveal his neighbor, Tamara, or Tammy for short. She was a math teacher at the nearby high school, a volunteer for the school marching band, and a yoga buff. Vegetarian by choice, as she could never hurt a single animal. Kratos never asked about her, but she always spoke to him whenever they crossed paths in the hall. She would speak of good days and bad days, always asking how Kratos's day went. She would often complain of her own vanity, explaining how she could never go anywhere without making sure her hair was done and her clothes were stylish. What a hassle, she would explain. Yet here she stood, her hair a mess, wearing an old white bath-robe and old stained slippers. She had to look straight up to meet Kratos's eyes, and she would often tease Kratos about the height difference, but now, she didn't seem to be in a mood for jest.

"Tamara", whispered Kratos, poking his head down the hall, then back to Tammy. "It is early".

"Yeah...it is," she whispered back, rubbing her eyes. "You ok? You were yelling and yelling, it scared the cra out of me. You sounded like you were murdering people in there."

Kratos's eye winced. "Bad dream."

"Hell of a bad dream...well you let me know if you need anything, an herbal tea or something. That sounded awful."

"Thank you, Tamara. I apologize if I woke you."

"I just wanted to make sure everything was ok. You should see a doctor about that, it sounded like night terrors or something."

"I doubt the doctors could help. You should return to sleep. You have classes to teach tomorrow."

"Alright man, take it easy. My door is always open for you, but you know that."

"I know that. Sleep well Tamara."

Tammy gave Kratos a half-awake thumbs up and an awkward smile before returning down the hall to her door. Kratos closed the door and returned to the kitchen. The coffee was still brewing, so he shambled his way to the window. He pulled up the blinds in time for the sun to begin rising over the city. New York, a great city to hide. So many strange and unique people in this town that almost no one looks twice at the pale tattooed demigod. If one was searching for such a man, they would be hard done by to find him amidst the sheer volume of people, in a bachelor apartment, wearing a tank top and a pair of Nike shorts, pouring coffee down his gullet.

Or so he thought.

Kratos sat at his kitchen table, finishing the coffee when Kratos's phone suddenly buzzed. He looked down at the phone. No one ever texted him, unless it was about work. He opened the screen. The text was from a private number. The text read: "knock knock". As soon as he read it, a knock came from the door. Kratos, his adrenaline suddenly fueling his body, looked at the text, then at the door. Was it Tamara again? Had the Olympians found him? Had the Asgardians? In his own home?

Kratos grabbed a knife from the kitchen and went to open the door. He unlatched the locks that lined the doorframe and opened it enough to see through. Outside of his apartment stood a man, dressed in all black. He was a taller man, wearing an eyepatch and a long leather jacket.

"What do you want?" Kratos grunted.

"Good morning to you too," said the man, in an tone that very much matched his cold facial expression.

"Speak or leave." Said Kratos curtly. The man raised his eyebrows.

"Your reputation as a conversationalist precedes you. Do you have a moment to talk? Oh, don't worry about the knife, I'm not here looking for a fight. Knowing you, you would win...wouldn't you, Kratos?"

Kratos was taken aback. How could this man know who he was? How did he find him? Who was he? His grip tightened more on the knife, then loosened. The stranger had not made an aggressive move towards him, and he didn't want to stab anybody in his own home. Kratos let the door open fully.

"Who are you?" Kratos asked.

"Me? I'm what you might call a talent agent. Nicholas Fury. Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Can I come in?"

Fury pulled a badge from his wallet and quickly flashed it at Kratos.

"No. Leave." Kratos huffed.

"You haven't even heard why I'm here."

"It does not matter. You have come to the wrong place for what you seek."

"I'm not so sure about that. The pale skin, the red tattoo. I may only have one eye, but you sir, stick out like an extremely sore thumb."

"Leave. My. Home." Kratos warned as he squared off with the man.

"The 'scary mean guy' act isn't gonna work on me." Dury said, taking a step into the apartment. "I've seen meaner, greener, much less reasonable monsters than you. You _can_ be reasonable, I assume?"

Kratos sighed. "What do you want?"

"I'm here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative."

"I have had my fill of revenge." Kratos replied.

"I think I said _Avenge._" Nick replied condescendingly. "Earth is, quite frankly, not ready to step up to the plate if the universe throws us a fast ball. We need...talented people like you to make sure we can seing back. And you have a hell of a track record. We've been keeping tabs on you for a while. Let's see..."

Fury paused as he pulled a paper from his jacket.

"You leveled the entire Olympian pantheon, you killed at least one Asgardian, destroyed the Baba Yaga, single-handedly beheaded the whore of Babylon, killed the witch Morgan le Fay, and the list goes on, and on, and on..." Fury's eyes moved from his paper to Kratos.

"You have a track record of winning, and Earth needs that." Fury continued.

"My past is none of your concern. And my 'track record' is not what you think."

"Oh, we are aware of the bad stuff you did, 'Ghost of Sparta'." Fury added. "If helping defend Earth isn't incentive enough, how about redemption? Join the Avengers, I promise you'll do enough good to make up for it. You're the God of War, and here you are, in a darkened apartment, with coffee stains on your shorts."

"I am no longer that warrior of the past. I abandoned that life a long time ago. I will NOT return to it."

Fury took a moment, sighed lightly, then took a business card out of his jacket and placed it on the kitchen table.

"Think it over." Fury said sternly.

Kratos watched as Fury left his apartment. How did this man find him? How long have they known about him? How much did they really know about his past? His mind grew heavy with questions. He turned his head to look at the card. The card; most likely a return to a world he left all those centuries ago. Defending the world? More likely defending the agenda of some organization. No different than serving the gods. Trickery and manipulation. He thought of returning to a world of battle and bloodshed. A world of death and loss. Revenge and pain. He picked up the card, paused, then threw it in the garbage. Behind him, he could feel a presence, a presence he hadn't felt in what felt like an eternity, taunting him, laughing in silence, a whisper.

"_Monster."_


	2. Sleeping Bear

**2**

**Sleeping Bear**

Kratos walked down the familiar hallway to his apartment, the same fluorescent light flickering occasionally, as it always has. His distracted mind barely noticed that Tammy was having trouble with her key.

"Hey, bug guy, you wanna give me a hand with this fucking key, again please?" She gave out a guilty chuckle. Her key has always had trouble with the lock.

Kratos raised his head, finally noticing her.

"Tamara...of course."

"How many times, it's Tammy to my friends. You know you're one of those, right?"

"Apologies...Tammy."

Kratos, having figured out the trick to Tammy's door months ago, pulled on the door, pulled the key just a tad out from the lock, and turned. The door opened with a weak creak.

"Thanks, big guy."

"Of course."

Tammy moved into her apartment, then turned to face Kratos.

"Would...would you like a drink?"

"Uh..."

"Like a wine?"

Kratos, after the day he had, couldn't help but be enticed. He took a moment to think.

"What kind of wine?" He asked.

"Some red stuff from the bottom of the shelf." She replied with a chuckle, waving her hand nonchalantly.

"I have not changed clothes from work."

"Don't worry about it, work smell has nothing on prepubescent student B.O. Plus the suit looks good on you."

Kratos looked down at his work suit, skeptical of her compliment, but still interested in the promise of wine.

"Then perhaps I will indulge."

"Great! I'll wash a glass for you."

Kratos stood there as Tammy went to her kitchen. Kratos had spent hundreds of years avoiding friendship, avoiding anything that could hurt him again. He had lost so many over his life. What compelled him to even consider that perhaps there was a friend to be had in this woman? Why would he risk suffering another loss? She would fall to the passage of time or to the sword one day. He then considered how long he would have to keep up his isolation. He may live another two thousand years, maybe three. Why should he starve himself of friendship? Why should he let his loss control him? He sighed heavily, looked at his apartment door, then looked into Tammy's apartment. He could hear the cork pop out of the bottle.

"You coming in, or what, weirdo?" Tammy voiced from her kitchen.

Kratos, forcing himself to move, against every instinct, into Tammy's living room.

/

"And then she says to me, 'My sweeeeet boy couldn't POSSIBLY be the one drawing graffiti on the school walls, now YOOOUU stop investigating my son, or IIIIII'LL be speaking to your SUPEEERIOR'".

Kratos listened patiently as Tammy vented her work frustrations, the red wine making her much more enthusiastic than normal to do so. Kratos had not had a long conversation with anybody for a long time, and he was, for once, enjoying himself as Tammy waved her arms in a drunken imitation of one of her student's parents.

"Perhaps a duel would solve your conflict with this woman" Kratos jested.

"Oh, just watch me, I'll give her the old ONE TWO!" Tammy slurred, smiling wildly, feigning a left and right hook.

"You may need some training, you won't get far if THAT is your technique. Here, let me show you a proper hook."

"Since WHEN do you know how to fight? I've never seen you hurt a fly!"

"I have known since birth how to fight."

"So what, an ex-soldier or something? You never talk about yourself."

"I was a soldier...long ago. Now let me show you a technique I learned in Dengfeng."

"Dengfeng...China? THIS is why you need to talk about yourself more!"

"I have traveled to many places many times. Now raise your fist like so- do you hear that?" Kratos asked, his head turning to look behind him.

"I don't hear anything, what is it?" Tammy asked.

"I do not know," Kratos replied in a half-whisper.

"I don't think it's-"

"SHH."

Both stood still for a moment. Then Kratos' eyes widened.

"GET DOWN!"

Kratos tackled Tammy to the ground just in time for a purple-blue bolt of plasma to blast through the wall into the kitchen, obliterating a cupboard in a burst of wood and glass. Shrapnel and debris plastered Kratos, ripping his work suit and piercing his skin. He paused to let the debris finish falling before raising himself off of Tammy. She looked shaken and was coughing from the dust, but wasn't otherwise hurt.

"Are you well?" Kratos asked, scanning her up and down for bleeding. Tammy picked herself off the ground.

"What the fuck was that?!" She struggled to say between coughs.

"I do not know," Kratos replied.

Both looked at the hole where the plasma bolt entered the room, the sound of several flying craft could be heard overhead. Kratos covered Tammy again as another plasma bolt hit the building across the street, blasting apart the wall and sending bricks flying into the street below. Screams, plasma and gunfire sounds grew louder throughout the street. The wounds Kratos sustained from the blast began to heal over, to Tammy's shock.

"Wh-what the fuck is happening, K?! What the fuck is happening to you?!"

"You must find somewhere to hide. Now." Kratos urged, taking Tammy by the arms and leading her to her bedroom.

"Hey, WAIT!" Tammy yelled as he dragged her away from the blasted wall. "What are you? You were seriously hurt and now you're not so you tell me what the hell is going on and what that was!"

"Find a place to hide and I will tell you after." Kratos barked as he opened the door to her bedroom."Under the bed. Move."

"Where are you going?"

"To find out what's going on."

"No no no, don't go out there, it's a terrorist attack or something, you could die, I don't care how much training you've had!"

"I will be fine, stay here until I return."

Tammy paused and looked into his eyes.

"Please don't go."

"I must."

More explosions in the background. Tammy lost her balance as the ground shook around them. She looked into his eyes and saw something she'd never seen in his eyes before. Fire and Blood. A thousand-yard stare of a very old soul. There was no stopping that man from going out there.

"...Don't get hurt out there."

Kratos gave a stern nod. He made sure Tammy was under the bed before charging down the hall to his apartment. He skidded across the floor to his bedroom closet. He ripped the doors open and tore away at his pile of clothing to reveal an old shield. The Shield of Evalach, gifted to him after he defeated an extremely powerful knight in one-on-one combat in medieval England. The Red Cross, painted on the shield in the blood of an old keeper of the Grail, granted the owner 'heavenly protection'. While the shield was magical, Kratos never enjoyed the implications of the shield possibly having 'heavenly' influence. If the gods of one religion could not be trusted, how could any other god be any better? Sitting beside the shield was a pair of Seven-League Boots, a relic stolen from an American witch. These boots gave the wearer powerful jumping and running abilities. He grabbed the shield, put on the boots and ran out of his apartment and down the hall towards the roof access.

Kratos kicked the door to the roof open, the door breaking off its hinges. The sky was darkened with alien creatures, bloated monsters of enormous size and humanoids raining plasma fire down from their flyers. Kratos's eyes followed the flow of aliens towards the source of the invasion. He saw a beam of blue light leading from Stark Tower to the fissure in the sky, with hundreds of alien creatures pouring out of it. From the roof, he had a view of the whole city. Smoke was rising everywhere he looked, tracer rounds flying into the hoards of flying creatures, plasma flying down in return. There was little time. He had to determine these invaders' combat abilities and protect his home. Protect the people inside. Kratos took aim at one of the approaching flyers and jumped.

The two aliens, looking genuinely surprised to see Kratos slam himself into their flyer hundreds of meters in mid-air, couldn't regain their balance fast enough as the flyer rolled from the impact. Kratos pulled himself over the side, rammed his shield into the face of the alien gunner, sending it flying off into the streets below. The flyer's pilot turned to face him, pulling a plasma sidearm from his side. Kratos, reacting quickly, shifted his footing to block the plasma fire. The shield absorbed most of the impact, but some of the momentum pushed Kratos back to the edge of the flyer. The pilot turned to swerve out of the path of a building, then turned back to take aim again, but in the 0.8 seconds it took the alien to re-acquire its target, it was too late. Kratos was already on him. He took the alien by the jaw and smashed its head into the control panel of the flyer. The alien's head split open, spitting purple blood over Kratos' face.

The flyer, without its pilot, began to dive towards the street. Kratos scoured the skies for another flyer before he crashed into the ground. Finding one above him, he jumped and grabbed a hold of the bottom of the flyer's platform. With a few punches to the bottom of the flyer, the machine's propulsion system began to fail and it began to plummet to the ground.

Kratos continued to destroy flyers, each one defeated with moderate ease. He dropped from his 15th kill and rolled onto the roof of a building below. There was no way for him to destroy enough of them to make a difference, not without a heavier arsenal. A machine gun or a tank or a certain two swords he would rather not think about. He looked over to his apartment. It was still standing, but he could see smoke rising out of the windows. A roar came from behind him. He turned to face a flying finned creature, at least 3 blocks long, armored and brimming with rows of teeth. Ita flight overhead blew up dust, blinding Kratos for a moment, but he quickly recovered. The creature slammed its body against a nearby building, destroying the foundation and leaving it crumbling to the ground. Kratos' eyes widened as the creature began to head for his apartment building.

"Tamara."

Kratos, hoping his aim wasn't too rusty after all these years, stepped back from the edge of the roof. He couldn't waste any time, every second spent thinking was another second the creature charged for his home. Those lives inside. His neighbors. The power of his sprint tore away at the roof, leaving chunks of concrete and dusk in his wake as he charged for the ledge. The Seven-League Boot's power sent him flying through the air towards the beast. The creature was not a hundred meters from the apartment when Kratos landed and drove his shield into the armor of the monster.

Kratos quickly regained his footing and ran for its head. Taking no time, he dove off to the left, plunged the shield into the beast's face and jammed his fist into its left eye. The monster roared violently and served to the left. The creature was diverted just in time to avoid ramming the building head-on, but not enough to stop its tail from sideswiping the walls, sending bricks flying in all directions and causing a quarter of the apartment to collapse to the ground. With the monster diverted and roaring in pain, Kratos jumped from its face to the street and ran as fast as he could towards home. The side of the building that was hit had been decimated. Kratos jumped up to the top floor to Tamara's apartment.

"TAMARA!" he screamed, searching left and right for any sign of life. Not much remained of the living room or the kitchen, a giant gap of broken plumbing and shredded wood left in its place. Kratos burst through the bedroom door, but the bed and the walls were ablaze with fire. The heat forced Kratos back. Turning his head, he saw a hand poking out from under a layer of wood and plaster. He quickly removed the debris to reveal Tammy, bloodied and contorted, a plasma burn piercing all the way through her abdomen. He checked her pulse. It was faint but it was there. He placed his shield on his back, picked her up and jumped down to the street from the hole where the wall used to be. Where could he take her? Most likely any hospitals in the area are overrun with aliens, too full with casualties or damage. She would certainly die if they chose to try and find a working hospital.

Then he remembered. The Stranger. The card. He turned his eyes towards the beam above Stark Tower. He could see a small armored man flying into the fissure. The beam, the source of energy for the gateway, suddenly broke, and the armored man came falling back through just before the gateway closed. The flyers overhead and the beasts that followed them suddenly began to plummet to the ground. The city slowly grew quiet as the sky cleared of the alien invaders.

All of this started at Stark Tower. Perhaps this Tony Stark, this 'Iron Man' he saw so often on the gym's TVs would have technologies able to heal these wounds. Perhaps Stark could contact the one-eyed stranger. No doubt, if this Fury knew of Kratos, he would know of Iron Man. Perhaps Fury knows of a healer or witch, anyone that could help Tammy. Stark Tower was her best bet. With the decision made, he began to sprint, Tammy in his arms, for Stark Tower.

/

Kratos ran up to Stark Tower, kicked through the glass on the main doors and ran in. No sooner had he entered the lobby, he was met with several automated turrets that popped up from the floor, the walls and the ceiling.

"YOU ARE BREAKING AND ENTERING A SECURE FACILITY. DO NOT MOVE." a robotic voice sounded from the intercom.

"Please help her. Help this woman, she has been injured in battle!" Kratos explained to the nearby security camera.

"DO NOT MOVE, YOU ARE BREAKING AND ENTERING. COMPLY OR LETHAL FORCE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED." The voice continued.

"I wish to speak to the one-eyed man! The one in search of powerful beings!" Kratos pleaded to the camera again.

"DO NOT MOVE, YOU ARE BR-"

The voice stopped abruptly as the lobby filled with echoes and silence. There was a pause, then the turrets returned to their slots inside the walls. Kratos stood in silence, eyes scanning the lobby, waiting for whatever was to come next. The doors at the top of the stairs opened, and a red-haired woman in black appeared before him.

"Ok beardy, what do you want with Fury?" The stranger asked, a pistol steady in her iron grip.

"I come seeking aid. She is dying." Kratos looked down at the pale woman in his arms. The red-haired woman looked at Tammy, then back to Kratos.

"Tell Fury that I will join the Avengers if you help her.

"How do you know about the Avengers? That's not public knowledge yet." The woman asked, her aim lowering.

"J.A.R.V.I.S. Can you do anything for this lady?" She asked, her sight not leaving the grey stranger.

"Good Day Natasha. Let me see what I can do. Scanning…" A calm voice spoke over the intercom. A blue pattern of light swept over Tamara's body.

"There is severe 3rd-degree burns and tissue damage, her internal organs are failing. We will need to bring her to the lab immediately if she is to survive." The voice explained. The woman holstered her pistol and began to wave Kratos over to the door.

"Come on, let's get her upstairs!" She urged. Kratos didn't hesitate and ran to the elevator.

/

Kratos hadn't moved in hours. His head rested in his hands as he sat outside the lab. He could see the machinery through the window as they worked on her, the lasers and needles orbiting her pale body. He was tired from the battle but couldn't sleep, not until it was certain that Tamara would survive.

"Sir?" the voice spoke over the intercom.

"Speak machine. Is she well?"

"...I'm sorry, sir. There was nothing any of us could have done."

"Do NOT…" Kratos shook his head, still resting in his hands.

"The burns through her abdomen were too severe. Even I can't work miracles." J.A.R.V.I.S. Explained. Kratos sat silent for a time. A forgotten fury growing within.

"She was innocent." Kratos lamented. "She should have never been involved in any of what happened."

"Agreed, Sir. My condolences for your lo-"

"DO NOT SPEAK, machine. Let me see her."

Kratos entered the lab. Tammy's broken and blackened body rested upon the operating table, covered with a white sheet. He approached slowly, pulled up a chair to the table, and sat. He sat for a long time and wondered what Tammy might have done to deserve this. What had any who had died done to deserve this? Perhaps he was cursed. Everyone he becomes even slightly close to has died or has been removed from his life. His daughter, his wives...his son. His saddened heart then turned to cold darkness, then the darkness turned to rage. Then the rage turned toward the one responsible for this. For all this. Who was behind this invasion? Who killed these innocents? Who killed Tamara? He would find out who it was.

He would find them.

And kill them.

The Whispers.

"_Monster."_


	3. Meet the Team

**3**

**Meet the Team**

Kratos sat by Tammy's body for a while before Natasha Romanova, the Black Widow, walked up to him.

"Uh...Kratos? Is that your name?" She asked.

"Speak." He replied.

"Fury is here. Follow me to the landing pad"

Kratos sighed. He removed his head from his hands and stood up.

The engine roared as the helicopter touched the landing pad of the tower. Out stepped Fury, black trench coat flowing under the wind of the chopper. Black Widow was ready to greet him.

"Good day, Miss Widow!" Fury shouted over the sound of the helicopter.

Widow escorted Nick off the platform into the office. He chuckled at the craters where Loki was repeatedly smashed into the ground.

"Who knew Bruce knew so much about interior decorating." Fury joked. "Remind me to take that out of his paycheck."

"He doesn't get paid." Natasha Replied.

"Well, at least Stark's got something to do in his spare time. Now, where's my new recruit?"

Kratos stood in the main office, arms crossed, snarl hidden under his beard. Fury approached and pointed his open hand towards two chairs and a desk that were still intact. Kratos sat, arms still crossed. Fury followed suit, leaned back in his chair and placed his leg on top of the other.

"So you've reconsidered." Fury noticed.

"I had."

"...You HAD."

"I had promised my service to you and your 'Avengers' had your followers saved Tamara. They could not. The deal was broken.."

"I see."

Fury leaned forward in his chair.

"It appears you now have two options." Fury said. "You can either waste your life away, slowly decaying in some sad, little apartment, moping over the death of your friend, or...you can avenge her death. It's your choice."

Kratos silently weighed his options. If he became an Avenger, what would that bring? Would he redeem himself in his own eyes for so much wrongdoing? In the heat of war, would he return to his monstrous habits? Would the Asgardians or the Olympians discover him? He couldn't take on all of them, should they find him. Then again, forever is a long time to keep running. Tamara's face. He couldn't let her death go to waste.

"I...will join your cause." Said Kratos after a time.

"See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Said Fury, raising out of his chair.

"What now?"

"What now? To be honest, the amount of paperwork I'm about to receive after this whole 'alien invasion' thing, I don't care much really what you do for the next little while, as long as when I call on you, you're there. I know your history. Don't make me regret this. Natasha, I have an appointment with command. Please ensure our guest gets settled in."

With that, Fury spun around and walked back to his chopper. The blades above spun up, and within moments, was out of sight. Natasha tried desperately to find something to talk about with this uncomfortably silent man sitting in the chair next to her.

"So uh...you're a god too, huh?" Widow asked.

"Too?"

"Yeah, we have one of your kind on the team. You too seem like you would get along, both men of few words, buff, kinda stern…"

"Who is this other god?!" Kratos' voice raised in concern as he stood up from the chair.

The door to the office opened to a group of very strange people. a man in a suit of armor, another man who appeared to have ripped all his clothing, a man with a shield, a man with a bow, and another man in Asgardian armor. Kratos and the Asgardian met eyes.

"What is that Asgardian doing here?!" Kratos asked sternly.

"Wait, I know you. What in the 9 realms is the God Slayer doing here?!" The Asgardian roared back. The hand with the hammer tightened its grip.

"Hey! Ho! Natasha, what's going on here?" Bruce asked, raising his hands.

"Guys...meet Kratos, our newest recruit, I guess. Kratos, meet guys." The widow said, a tension in her voice.

"Jarvis, I told you to let me know when I had company," Tony said, trying to move in between the two angry gods.

"Sorry sir, but when he arrived, you were lying on the ground unconscious after falling from an alien wormhole. I calculated you had bigger problems." The voice from the computer replied.

"This seems like a pretty big problem, Jarvis. Guys, you two have some history? Huh?" Tony asked nervously.

"History?! That man is a murderer!" Thor yelled as he pointed Mjolnir at Kratos.

"That man and his ilk cannot be trusted! The Asgardians are conquerors and murderers!" Kratos retorted.

"That man killed my kind"

"They killed my wife!"

"He destroyed Olympus!"

"THEY STOLE MY SON!"

There was a silence as the echoes of the exchange reverberated against the empty room.

"You have no place in this realm, or in any realm." Thor finally said after a time.

"You have no place lecturing me, boy."

"Then perhaps words are of no use here."

"You do not want this, Asgardian. Enough blood has been spilled today"

"Perhaps I do want this. I've killed plenty of foul beasts today. Why would I tarry in dispatching one more?"

"I have fought more battles than you have killed monsters, boy. You bring this upon yourself."

"STOP CALLING ME BOY!"

Tony barely dodged out of the way as Thor flew headlong into Kratos. The impact sent both flying through the wall out into the air over the city. Tony looked at his now broken wall, then to Widow.

"I'm not paying for that," Tony said. "Ok boys and girls, work's not over yet. Hawkeye, Widow, Cap, consolidate with police, make sure nobody gets in their way. Banner, does big angry Grinch have any more juice?"

"Man, if collateral is what you're trying to avoid, then count me out," Bruce replied.

"Ok fair. I'll go and try to talk them down before more people get hurt."

/

The blows exchanged sent shockwaves through the air as they fell. When they hit the ground, the impact sent cars flying in all directions, sending the nearby citizens screaming back to cover. Thor used Mjolnir to pull himself off the ground. He sent a blow screaming toward Kratos as he started to get up. Kratos noticed in time and rolled out of the way of the blow, the hammer smashing the impact crater even deeper into the ground. The shockwave sent Kratos flying into a cafe window, breaking tables and smashing into the back wall.

Thor grinned as he watched Kratos smash into the window. He turned to notice a group of citizens filming him with their phones.

"Have no fear, mortals!" Thor called out to them. "The situation is all under- OOMF!"

Thor suddenly flew to one side as a cash register came rocketing with the speed of a bullet from the cafe to Thor's face. Thor shook his head and pulled himself out of the frame of the car just in time for Kratos to smash his shield into Thor's body, sending him careening down the street, ripping up concrete and street signs as he tumbled.

Kratos, without hesitation, charged towards the direction of the Asgardian. The dust brought up by the fight made it difficult for Kratos to see Mjolnir flying towards him. The hammer hit him squarely in the chest, sending him flying into an office building. The foundation of the building began to creak and snap under the power of the impact. Kratos shook his head to regain his sight, then crawled out of the hole in the wall he found himself in. Thor was waiting outside the building, Mjolnir returning to his hand. Kratos had to end this fight before buildings started to come down with people inside. Kratos' strength began to quickly return, granted by the healing power of the Shield of Evalach. Kratos sprinted out of the tunnel created by his impact, tackling Thor and turning the fight into a boxing match. Thor's vitality and Kratos' experience were evenly matched. Each uppercut and left hook sent waves through the air, shattering windows and triggering car alarms. Finally, Thor broke free of Krato's grasp and flew into the air, building electrical energy as he rose. Thunder clouds began to form over Thor's head.

"Hey guys, hate to interrupt your dick measuring contest, but could we stop this now? You're scaring the locals." Iron Man said as he swooped in, still clad in his broken armor.

"Stay back Stark, this is between me and the God Slayer!" Thor replied, still charging his attack.

"Thor, buddy, if you two don't stop, I'll have to stop you...for you...or…okay, imagine I said something cooler than what I said."

Kratos, ignoring Stark's warning, jumped after Thor. Before Kratos could reach him, lightning channeled from the sky to Mjolnir. Thor sent the lightning screaming towards Kratos at the speed of light. The Shield of Evalach, while powerful, was not able to fully block Thor's godly might. The attack sent Kratos returning to the ground with such force, that the concrete became like a liquid wave with the impact. The walls of nearby buildings were blown away as if by a nuclear blast. Thor sighed with relief as he witnessed his own victory over the murderer known as the Ghost of Sparta. Surely it was done.

"WOAH WOAH, what did I just say?!" Tony yelled, looking at the damage done to the buildings.

"Relax, metal friend. It is done." Thor replied. He began to lower himself to the ground, clearly weary from the battle.

Kratos, lying in the impact crater, broken and battered, struggled to turn his head. He looked to his shield. It had broken in two. So much for 'heavenly' protection. He chuckled to himself before the pain in his chest forced him to stop. He looked toward his surroundings. The blasted buildings. The screaming people. This had to stop. Now. No more innocent lives. No more. NO MORE.

Thor's relief turned to horror as Kratos rose to his feet, flames engulfing his hands and forearms. Kratos looked up at his foe, His eyes bright red with the fire of his rage. Thor charged the god of war with all the speed he could muster. Kratos let out a roar, grabbed a nearby downed alien flyer, and hurled it at the Asgardian. The velocity of the flyer, with the momentum Thor had gained in his charge, stopped him from properly dodging. The flyer hit the shocked Thor, knocking Mjolnir out of his hand and hurtling him through the air. Before he could land, Kratos grabbed him from the air and throwing him back towards Stark Tower. Thor hit the stairs leading to the tower, shooting up dust and concrete. Thor attempted to raise himself, but Kratos, with the speed of his rage and his Seven-League Boots, shoulder-checked Thor further into the staircase.

"ENOUGH!" roared Kratos.

Kratos began to pummel Thor, a left punch, a right punch, over and over again. Each punch sent Thor's body further and further into the ground. Iron Man, unsure of what to do, shot a tranquilizer dart at Kratos, but the dart bounced off.

_"Murderer"_

Left, right, left, right…Thor's face grew bloodier with each blow...

_"Monster"_

Kratos awoke from his rage, his fists bloodied. His face bloodied. Everything Bloodied. He and Thor were deep into a hole in the concrete. Thor was unconscious but alive. Kratos raised himself off of the wounded Asgardian. Tired and wounded himself, he limped as he dragged Thor back to the Tower.

The other Avengers were still busy helping the police with crowd control, trying to keep people away as the two fought it out. Tony flew down to meet the two gods, a look of confusion and shock as they approached the entrance to the Tower. Kratos dropped Thor before Iron Man's feet, Thor's limp body hitting the floor with a thump.

"The Asgardian needs medical attention. Perhaps your machines can help HIM, if no one ELSE under your care." Kratos jeered.


	4. Aftermath

**4**

**Aftermath**

It was in the early morning, and Tony was busy distracting himself from the events of the previous night. The plan for the Avengers Tower, a home base from which the team can assemble and deploy from, was beginning to show promise. Steve Rogers entered the room.

"We need to talk, Tony," Steve said from across the room. Tony was still facing away, working away on in his plans.

"About what happened yesterday?" Tony asked.

"What else would we be talking about? What was Fury thinking recruiting a guy like that onto the team?! He's obviously dangerous, and Thor really doesn't seem to like him. That should be a red flag when the god of thunder has a bone to pick with somebody."

"Yeah, well Thor blew a hole in my wall," Tony pointed at the gaping hole in the side of the office. "Maybe Thor is the one not thinking straight."

"Come on, Stark, you saw the way that guy beat the shi- crap out of Thor. That didn't look like a person in control, and therefore not a person we can trust to keep his cool in a fight."

"You come on, Captain, you and I butt heads every so often. Difference between us and them is we're people and they're, well, gods. Maybe a Dragonball Z LARP sesh is how they settle things in god land. And if I remember correctly, the first time we met Thor, he decided it would be a good idea to stomp us into the dirt as well."

"That was a misunderstanding. He wouldn't have attacked us if he knew what side we were on."

"Well, maybe that's what happened here. A simple misunderstanding."

"I doubt that."

"Let's just...let it play out, see if they make nicey-nice. If they don't, then we'll worry about what to do next."

/

Kratos' wounds were healing slowly. He looked around his bedroom in the guest wing of the tower. It was an improvement over his small apartment, but he couldn't get over his failure to stop that monster in time before it destroyed his life, and the lives of others. A pleasant tone sounded at the door. Kratos stood up slowly, wincing at the wound on his leg. He walked to the door and pressed the 'open' button on the panel nearby. The door opened to reveal Steve Rogers, arms crossed.

"We have to talk," Steve said.

"I know what you would talk about, and there is nothing to discuss," Kratos replied, turning back into his room.

"No, there is something to discuss, you could have killed Thor. Not exactly a good first impression."

"You may remember that it was he who started that fight."

"The way you ended it is my problem."

"The fight had to be ended swiftly. The risk of innocent lives was too great. The buildings around us were too unstable. Should one of them have fallen, many would have died at the expense of our quarrel."

"So...wait." Steve wasn't expecting that answer. Maybe he'd...misunderstood the actions of this man. Tony would have a field day if he heard him admit that.

"Maybe you should talk to Thor now that you both have blown off some steam," Steve said. "If you'll be working together, I can't have you both distracted."

"Perhaps. Asgardians are stubborn and foolish, but perhaps this one may prove to be different. He fights to protect this world. He is still in the medical bay?"

"Yeah, he's still there."

"Very well."

/

Thor awoke in his bed, his face felt like it was about to burst from how swollen it was. How could he have lost to an old man? A relic of legend, and a killer without honor? He could feel his wounds slowly healing, but he couldn't move out of the bed just yet. His vision returned to him as his blurry surroundings became clear. He looked to his left and met eyes with the god who had bested him, standing in the corner of the room. He tried to jump out of bed to avoid the attack but found he could not. Kratos stood calmly and approached the bed.

"You will listen, Asgardian and I will speak. Many years ago, I killed my father. He was tainted with the plagues of the mind unleashed by Pandora's box. He would see me and everyone else killed so that no one could challenge his rule. Such was his corruption that he killed his own son. I returned from death and exacted my revenge. When I killed him, I felt...nothing. No release, no contentment, only emptiness. The world around me was broken and dead after the battle all of Greece was broken and dead. In my emptiness, I attempted to end my own life. I failed. I began to search the world to find meaning in my life. I reached the northern realms of the Norsemen and met a woman named Faye. She opened my mind to other things than war. Songs, magic, love. For the first time in centuries...I felt love in my soul. We had a child, named Atreus. We lived in a small village of mortals and were content to live with them. Then your people's war came to our doorstep. Your father led the charge into our village, screaming about a refugee Frost Giant hiding in our village. They began raiding, killing people left and right. Faye and I went to defend our village; her with her magic and me with the axe she gifted me. Odin shot me with his staff and crippled me, then shot Faye. She...did not survive. He accused us of harboring Frost Giants and searched my house for any evidence of such. All he found was my son. Unable to stop him, Odin took my son and his army back through the Bifrost, leaving our village burning and my wife dead on the ground. Ever since, your father has sent agents to find and kill me. The one named Baldur, the ones named Magni and Modi. All have died by my hand, but let it be known that it was your father and his followers who attacked us. Every death was caused by your people's lust for war."

Thor listened, growing enraged by the pale god's accusations.

"Don't speak of my father or my people with such disservice. Your words are all lies" Thor croaked.

"Son of Odin, whether my words bear truth is of no concern. I only explain to you that your side is not the only side. My family was trying to live in peace when your people attacked. Your father took my son, a half-Olympian child, and killed my wife, a Midgard woman of pure innocence."

"There is no Olympian child in Asgard. You are mistaken in your accusations. My father is a good man, and would never attack a Midgard village without cause."

"No story is unbiased, Thor Odinson. Your father may tell you one version while I may tell you another."

"So you admit that your story is not unbiased?"

"I admit that it may." Kratos limped closer. "I have no quarrel with you, Odinson. I come not to offer accusations, but understanding. We work toward the same cause, to protect this world and the people that live on it. We have the same enemy, the one who sends his armies to destroy cities."

Thor broke eye contact with Kratos.

"I do not trust you, your words haven't helped in that matter."

"Nor I trust you. But we must learn if we are to face this common enemy."

"Tell me again how many Olympians died by your hand? How many Asgardians? If I let you live, I don't know what will happen."

"Brave words from a man unable to raise himself off his bed. If I wanted to attack Asgard, I would have found a way to do so. I have not. My wife Faye would not have wanted me to seek revenge against your people. It is why you still draw breath now."

"I wish this conversation to be over," Thor said, turning his head away.

"Very well."

Kratos limped towards the exit, his leg was already feeling better as his godly healing began to work its magic. Steve Rogers was waiting outside the room.

"How'd it go?" Steve asked.

"Better than expected. But there is much work to be done if we are to trust each other."

"It's probably best you both avoid each other for a bit."

"Indeed."

**/**

Thor left with the war criminal Loki in the early morning. Fully healed, he and Kratos exchanged tense looks as Thor turned the handle on the tesseract pod, teleporting both him and Loki off-world. Loki was only a pawn. He was no concern to Kratos. He knew there was a bigger threat still out there somewhere. The Avengers have made themselves known to the universe. Earth was no longer an easy target. He took the time in the tower collecting his thoughts, exercising, planning his next move to find the one responsible for the attack. His nightmares returned to him with more frequency. Memories of war, of Odin, of Zeus, of his daughter. Would he never be rid of these nightmares?

It was a few weeks later. Kratos, sleepless and bored one night, visited the exercise room. He set himself up near the squat machine specifically designed for superhumans, made of a few hydraulic presses and an adamantium bar. Just as he began to use the machine, Tony Stark walked into the gym.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" Tony asked, seeing Kratos moving several tons of weight up and down.

"I could not."

"Me neither. Bad dream."

"Myself as well."

"So I guess it's just you and me now, Bruce is busy meditating, I guess, and everyone else has officially been sent to go do S.H.I.E.L.D.'s pest control. Terrorists and arms dealers and such." Tony said as he loaded the bench press.

"Indeed. It has been...a while since the earth has been...at risk." Kratos said in between squats.

Tony leaned on the squat rack.

"Okay Casper, you've been here a couple of weeks now, and we haven't talked. Don't people on Olympus talk?"

"There is no one left on Olympus to talk."

"That's not my point. How're we supposed to work together if you keep playing the stoic game? Tell me about yourself. All I know about you is what I can google on ."

Kratos got out from the rack, moved the weight up and began to squat the heavier weight.

"What would...hmff...you require to know of me?"

"I dunno, your favorite color, who you voted for in the last election, which Jonas brother you think is hottest…"

"The Jonas Brothers are no longer together. That is all I know."

"See, I was making a joke, but it's hilarious that you know anything about the Jonas Brothers. I'm sure they'd be flattered to know that the God of War said that."

Kratos stopped squatting and let out a sigh.

"How about music? What music do you listen to?"

"I do NOT...listen to music."

"Come on, everybody has a favorite music genre. What's yours?"

"...I prefer the works of Ray Charles. Its calm nature is...therapeutic"

"See? Now we're getting somewhere."

/

Tony and Kratos exchanged facts about themselves for a time. Favorite foods, brands of toothpaste, whatever came to mind. They even managed to turn it into a drinking game.

"Okay, okay. Ummmm…...your favorite Olympic sport...boxing! Seems up your alley."

"You are mistaken and you must take your drink."

"Damn it…" Tony took a sip from his straight bourbon. "Okay, what is it then?"

"My favorite Olympic sport happens to be horse jumping."

"...Horse jumping?!"

"What is the matter with that?"

"It's just...horse jumping isn't exactly something I'd see the God of War enjoying. It's peaceful and kinda boring if you ask me." Tony shook his head and chuckled. Kratos sat up and leaned back.

"It takes skill, training, and trust for a man and a horse to complete a course together and win. These traditions have a long history originating in war. To see these traditions evolve into a peaceful sport demonstrates humanity's ability to move past its primal urges...Something the gods didn't seem to accomplish."

"Interesting...Okay, guess my favorite now."

Kratos leaned forward, the two stared at each other.

"Yours is...beach volleyball." Kratos guessed.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because the women who play it are scantily-clad." Kratos raised an eyebrow.

"You're wrong, but good point. Take your little baby sips you've been taking." Tony teased.

Kratos, his honor challenged, downed his entire drink.

"Ahhh." Kratos slammed his glass down and leaned back into his chair. "Very well, what is it then?"

"Actually it's golf. I'm rich. I like golf."

"It is late, I must rest before tomorrow."

"Why, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"I must make my own journey to find the one responsible for the attack on New York. So far we have found nothing, after weeks of waiting for Thor to return. I must make my own way."

"Well, you're not a prisoner here. Everyone else has left. If you find something, then you're better than S.H.I.E.L.D."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is preoccupied with their own interests. If they were interested in finding the being behind the attack, they would not have sent the others on…'pest control'. If we are to discover the one behind the attack, I must go find an old friend."

"Okay, man, go do your thing."

Kratos turned to leave.

"Hey, Casper," Tony called out. "You may have beat Thor's nose into a cloud of fine dust, but...you're alright."

"...You may yet change your mind on that." Kratos said as he left the room, leaving Tony alone in the cluttered lab.

"Hey J.A.R.V.I.S. Pull up the schematics for the Mark 20. Let's get back to it"

"Absolutely, sir. Advil and espresso are being prepared for you."

**/**

Loki approached the throne of Asgard in chains, his father waiting for him.

"Loki…" Freya said as he passed by.

"Hello mother," Loki said, turning to her, chains rattling. "Have I made you proud?"

"Please...Don't make this worse."

"Define worse."

"Enough!" Said Odin, his voice carrying across the room. "I will speak to the prisoner alone."

Freya gave a worried look to Loki, then left the room.

Loki approached the throne, his guards following, their grip on his chains tight and firm. Loki let out a Nervous laugh.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about." He said.

"Do you not truly feel the gravity of your crimes?" Odin asked. "Wherever you go there is war, ruin...and death."

"I went down to Midgard to rule the people as a benevolent god. Just like you."

"We are not gods. We're born, we live, we die. Just as humans do."

"Give or take five thousand years..."

"All this, because Loki desires a throne."

"It is my birthright!"

"YOUR BIRTHRIGHT...WAS TO DIE! As a child. Cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."

"If I'm for the axe, then by mercy's sake, just...swing it. It's not that I don't love our little talks, it's just. That I don't love them."

"Frigga is the only reason you are still alive and you will never see her again. You will spend the rest of your days in the dungeons."

Loki scoffed. "And what of Thor? You'll make that witless oaf king while I rot in chains?"

"Thor must strive to undo the damage you have done. He will bring order to the nine realms and then...yes. He will be king." Odin announced. The guards holding Loki's chains began to pull him towards his fate.

Thor stood in the doorway as Loki was dragged off to the dungeons. Loki looked back at him, pure hatred in his eyes. When Loki had been dragged out of the room, Thor approached his father. Odin's head was resting in his hands as he sat on the throne.

"Where did I go so wrong as a father?" He asked Thor.

"Loki's nature is to deceive and to manipulate. It was a matter of time before he turned his eyes to a weaker target than Asgard." Thor replied.

"Sometimes I wonder if...if it would have been better to leave him on that rock." Odin lamented.

Thor wondered whether to defend his brother against such words, but another thought came trickling into his mind.

"Father...the God Slayer yet lives."

Odin's head popped out of his hands. "Do not jest about this lightly, son. Is what you say true?"

"I do not jest, father. I met him on Midgard."

Odin let out a sigh of frustration. "You met him, and you did not strive to defeat him?"

"I did father, but...he bested me," Thor said as he looked away.

"He bested you, the god of thunder, my own son? You lost to an aging half-breed?!" Odin began to raise his voice in anger.

"Father, he spoke of the old wars, and of an attack you committed against his village. He said you killed his wife, and stole away his child."

"And you believed him? He is a murderer and cannot be trusted!"

"I am not as sure anymore, father. He spared my life, and had many chances to kill me, but did not. I only know of one child you have taken, father. Have you been keeping more secrets as to Loki's past?" Thor approached the throne closer.

"I have told you all you need to know. Loki is a Frost Giant, not Olympian."

"The God Slayer said you were searching for Frost Giants in his village. I want no more lies from you, father!"

"Watch your tone with me, child! Choose your next words carefully…" Odin said as he stood from his throne.

Thor and Odin stood towards each other for a time, then Odin sighed and sat back down in a huff.

"Loki wasn't discovered in Jotunheim as I have told you...he was found in Midgard. My armies and I were searching for a dangerous Frost Giant sorceress, one who could tip the balance of the war, which led us to a small village. We discovered the sorceress and killed her. Her husband, the God Slayer, also came for us, so I killed him too. Or so I thought…"

Thor began to step back in disgust. How many years had he been told the lies about Loki, and what other lies could there be, hidden in Odin's mind? Odin continued,

"When we searched their home for other Frost Giants that may be hiding there, we discovered a Frost Giant infant. I couldn't let him die there, without a father or mother. It was my responsibility to take him in and raise him."

Thor took a moment to compose himself.

"So the God Slayer is Loki's true father?" Thor asked, already knowing the answer.

"It is true. The God Slayer was the last clue that could have lead Loki to his past, so I sent agents to dispose of him. It cost Baldur, Magni and Modi their lives, and Loki found out all on his own, anyway."

Freya had re-entered the room as Odin talked.

"Thor, the God Slayer is still dangerous. He killed Baldur, my own son. He deserves death!" Freya hissed.

"What am I supposed to believe now, mother? For all I know, all your words are lies! Am I truly your son, or is that a lie as well?!" Thor said as he stormed out of the room. Freya approached Odin, who sat defeated in his chair.

"What are we to do, Frigga?" He asked her desperately.

"If he is still alive, then we must get rid of him," Freya said in hushed tones.

"Baldur's death...Ragnarok...do we not have larger issues to discuss than some demigod on Midgard?" Odin asked.

"The Slayer is the reason for Ragnarok! If he had not killed Baldur-" She paused to wipe away her tears. "If you will not send someone to destroy him, then I will," Freya said, turning away and leaving the room. Odin placed his head back into his hands.

"Bor...father...speak to me...what can I do? What would you do with these times?"

The room was silent, and Odin sat alone, praying to dead skies.


	5. The Head, the Witch, and the War God

**5**

**The Head, the Witch, and the War God**

Kratos woke up early, packed his few belongings, put on his boots, jeans, a black teeshirt, and a plaid button-up. There wasn't much in the guest closet that fit his frame, so he made due. He began to leave through the main entrance when Tony came running from behind.

"Hey, Special K! Wait up!"

"What is it, Anthony?"

"It's Tony. What is it with you and names? Wh-whatever. Here. In case you need it."

He produced a small metal ring, about the size of a necklace.

"What is it?" Asked Kratos.

"Just something I thought up last night. Not something I'd wear in public, but if you're going after big bad, you'll need all the help you can get."

Kratos turned the object in his hands to reveal a button. He pressed it, and the box quickly reformed into the shape of a greek helmet. It was designed like a standard hoplite helmet, but the face was completely covered and the aesthetic was that of an Iron Man armor helmet. The eye slit was covered with a brightly lit glass screen. Where the feather plume would be, two electrodes protruded from the helmet, between which electric arcs formed a blade of electricity. Kratos tried it on. When it was on his head, a holographic heads-up display appeared before his face. The screen booted up, and the display immediately began to feed him information about his surroundings. Target acquisition, distances, weapon identification, and other options were available to Kratos in this helmet.

"Hello, Kratos. I am the Spartan Mk1 vocal interface. No threats detected." A female voice inside the helmet spoke calmly. Tony pressed the button behind the helmet, which reformed into a ring around Kratos' neck.

"Thank you...Tony. I will no doubt make use of this."

"No problem. Now go and find this asshole, and make sure you say hi for me."

"You have my word."

Kratos now had to decide where to search first. He knew of one person who could help him find the one behind the attack. He just needed to find him, and he knew where to begin looking.

/

The Library of Congress. The largest source of human knowledge in the world. With 160 million items in its collection, where else would Mimir hide? Kratos entered the main reading area. He looked around for anything that could give him a clue to where he should start looking. He knew there were underground archives somewhere. Ensuring no one was looking, he slipped into the emergency staircase and went to the lowest floor. The door was locked, but it was nothing a hard push couldn't break. With a hard shoulder to the door, it easily opened. He entered the dark room. Computer towers taller than himself lined the walls, the whirring and sickly sweet smell of electrical equipment overwhelmed any other noise or smells. He walked the length of the room, trying to find any evidence of his old friend. He noticed a strange wire protruding from one computer tower that no other tower had. He followed the length of the wire and found it led behind the tower into an air vent. He pulled the wire from the vent until a loud thump could be felt.

"Ow! Let go, you big oaf!" came a voice from the vent. The voice was heavily Scottish. Kratos pulled the grill off of the air vent, to reveal the head of Mimir, eyes shining in the darkness, the wire leading up into his neck. Kratos picked up the head.

"Brother! I can't help but feel like it's not nice to see you," said Mimir.

"What is this?" Kratos said, pointing to the wire hooked up to Mimir's spinal column.

"That? I'm absorbing knowledge from these computer things. You could spend decades in here and still not learn everything there is to know. These humans are ingenious! Computers, even I didn't think of that!"

"I will not ask how you got here," Kratos said, looking around the room.

"As well you probably shouldn't. It's a long story...Well spit it out lad, there's a reason you came to find me, now what is it?"

"Head, there was an attack on this world by some unknown invader."

"Oh yes, I saw that on the news. Terrible thing."

"Do you know who was behind it?"

"Do I know? I've been on earth just as long as you have, brother. I know just as much about aliens as these humans do."

"Your wisdom has somewhat lessened of late, head."

"Yes, well the world keeps getting bigger and bigger, I'm wise, but I'm not omnipresent!"

"Perhaps you would know of someone on Earth who could identify the one behind this attack."

"Well...there may be one person. But she's temperamental who she lets visit."

"Then we must find her. Come, head."

"Woah there, I'm not going with you, I'm still catching up on quantum mechanics! Besides, I'm still connected to the computer."

Kratos yanked the wire, pulling it out of Mimir's neck.

"Now you are not. 'Quantum Mechanics' will be here when we return."

"Oh come on, brother. I'm not cut out for your type of adventure. We both know that."

"You never heard of consent, have you. It's 2012! Haven't you heard of human rights? I have a right to stay here and do nothing until I eventually die...if I can die…" Mimir continued his protests until Kratos stuffed him in his duffle bag.

"Oh great, and just how am I supposed to keep myself occupied?" Mimir asked, his voice muffled through the bag. Kratos unzipped the bag, plugged headphones into his phone, opened Spotify and put the headphones in Mimir's ears.

"Unbelievable" Said Mimir through the bag.

/

Kratos approached the small door in the brick wall. It was not what he was expecting when he heard they were traveling to a sorcerer's monastery.

"This...is the place?" Kratos asked in a skeptical tone.

"Would I bring you halfway across the world to Kathmandu, of all places, if this wasn't the place?!" Mimir asked in return, obviously extremely agitated after having spent several hours in the cargo hold of a plane. Kratos stepped up to the door and knocked. The door opened to reveal a hooded figure.

"What do you want?" the hooded figure asked.

"I seek the…um..."

"Sorcerer Supreme!" Mimir whispered from the bag.

"I seek the sorcerer supreme. I have business with her."

The hooded figure stood still for a moment before closing the door. They both waited for a few minutes for the door to reopen.

"Well, that isn't promising," Mimir commented.

Kratos backed away from the door to look at any windows that might show signs of movement. Kratos looked at the door.

"Ooh, no. Don't do it, brother."

Kratos began to move towards the door.

"Brother, you really don't want to piss these people o-"

Kratos' foot went broke through the door, swinging wide open.

"Oh bugger it all…" Mumbled Mimir

Kratos entered the monastery only to find the place empty. He moved his way further into the monastery, into a larger room.

"Where is everybody, head?" Kratos asked.

"You probably scared them into hiding when you broke their door and barged in, like a herd of bulls in heat..." Mimir replied.

"YOU ARE A LONG WAY FROM HOME, GHOST OF SPARTA." A spectral voice echoed throughout the room.

"Show yourself, I wish to speak with the sorcerer supreme!"

"THEN SPEAK, AND I WILL LISTEN."

"I seek the one who is responsible for the attack in New York. I wish to bring justice to the innocent ones who were killed during the attack."

"YOU ARE NOT READY TO KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. HIS POWER IS BEYOND YOU."

"Then tell me where to find him, and we will see whether that is true!"

"GHOST OF SPARTA, HOW CAN YOU DEFEAT HIM WHEN YOU CAN BARELY DEFEAT YOURSELF?"

"I do not understand."

"YOU WILL."

The room began to darken. Reality began to tear away as he felt himself being transported through time and space. Suddenly, only darkness surrounded him. The only illumination was that of small grey orbs floating above his head.

"Where have you transported me, voice?!"

"THERE IS A MONSTER IN YOU, KRATOS. DEEP INSIDE. HE RAGES IN YOU EVERY TIME YOU FACE AN ENEMY. YOU CAN'T CONTROL HIM…"

A figure began to appear from the darkness. Kratos squinted to see, but it was too dark.

"Who are you?" Kratos asked.

"I...am you." The figure said. From the darkness, the figure appeared. Clad in a golden shoulder piece and Greek waist armor. Wielding the weapons that claimed so many lives, wreathed in flame; the Blades of Chaos. There, before Kratos, stood the Ghost of Sparta. Not the man he had become, but the man he once was. Angry and broken, the fire of revenge still in his soul.

"How can this be?" Kratos asked Mimir.

"We're at the mercy of the mystics now, brother. Anything is possible here."

"THAT MONSTER IS STILL THERE, INSIDE YOU. IF YOU CANNOT CONTROL HIM, YOUR JOURNEY WAS LOST BEFORE IT EVEN BEGUN. YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF OUR HELP, SPARTAN."

The snarling doppelganger approached Kratos, the Blades of Chaos in its hand. Kratos reached for the button on the ring around his neck, engulfing his head and forming the helmet. The electric arcs sprang to life as the HUD in the helmet booted up.

"You have become weak and soft, old man." the young Kratos sneered.

"And you are an illusion." the older Kratos replied.

"Illusion or not, you will never defeat me. You will never stop me from destroying you. From being you."

"I am no longer you. You are a past I have turned my back from a long time ago. Your path is futile, and your quest for revenge will be empty and meaningless."

"I will NEVER become you! Pathetic excuse for a Spartan!"

The young Spartan charged Kratos, swinging the Blades of Chaos wildly. Kratos rolled to the side to avoid the attacks. The blades barely missed him, screaming through the air and slashing the black ground, leaving trails of flame where they sliced.

"Warning. Attack from Behind." the helmet warned in the female voice. The HUD flashed red as a holographic arrow pointed behind him. Kratos dodged again. The blades could be heard zinging through the air behind him, slamming into the ground, releasing a burst of heat and flame in all directions. Kratos felt the intense heat. He knew he couldn't defeat this younger version of himself in a frontal attack. Not without weapons or defense. Kratos recovered from the dodge and sprinted off into the darkness, his boots granting him speed to outrun the monster behind him.

"Only a coward runs, Kratos! COME BACK AND FACE ME!"

The young Kratos' screams echoed through the darkness, its voice a distorted version of his own.

"No threats detected." The helmet eventually reported. Kratos stopped running. The world was complete darkness around him. The distant orbs of light were any sign that anything existed in this realm. Kratos pulled Mimir out of the bag to use as a lamp, but the light from his eyes was no use. The darkness that surrounded him was like a thick fog.

"Helmet. What advantage do I possess against...myself?" Kratos asked the helmet as he scanned the darkness. His younger self's screams could still be heard echoing in the distance.

"The Spartan Mk1 Helmet has multiple tactical options. Might I recommend changing the display to infrared or night vision?" the helmet asked.

"Night Vision will do" Kratos replied.

The HUD changed from darkness to a green projection, and Kratos could finally see the landscape. It was flat. Perfectly flat. No geographical characteristics or rocks, no hills or rivers. There was nothing except the light from the Blades of Chaos, held by his younger self, shining brightly in the distance. Kratos attached Mimir to his belt.

"Just like old times…" Mimir said sarcastically.

"Head, what do you suggest we do."

"Well, this is obviously some sort of test. They've put you against yourself in some sort of 'fighting your inner demons' trial. Kind of cliche if you ask me."

"Then we must defeat him."

"I assume so, yes. Prove to them you've killed that aspect of yourself, I suppose."

"Then we attack. Helmet, what do you suggest?"

The light from the blades was moving back and forth through the darkness. The screams of the young Kratos could still be heard.

"The target has not determined our location. The target cannot see in this environment. Recommend using the low light levels to your advantage." The helmet replied.

"Very well."

Kratos began to run towards his evil twin with all speed. He must attack and run before his other self can counter-attack. The lights from the blades came clearer as he approached his target. With all the strength he could muster, he leaped and punched his twin in the face, knocking the young Kratos into the ground and across the floor. Kratos landed and rolled, recovering into a sprint back into the darkness.

"YOU FIGHT LIKE A COWARD! A COWARD, KRATOS!" The voice of his evil twin became more and more distorted.

Kratos stopped and turned to see the young Kratos swinging its blades wildly into the darkness in all directions. He returned for another attack, waiting for his twin's back to be turned, for a break in the wild swings of the blades. He charged and kicked his younger self in the back, sending it flying into the darkness. Kratos watched through the night vision as the doppelganger was launched into the distance, bouncing off the ground and landing some distance away. He charged for a third time, running full speed as the twin recovered. Kratos went to strike a blow, but this time, the young Kratos caught him out of the corner of its eye. Kratos tried to avoid the counter-attack, but the doppelganger braced, holding the Golden Fleece out to meet the attack. Kratos felt his fist crumple against the Fleece. The twin took the advantage and grabbed Kratos, launching him into the ground. Within milliseconds, the dark Kratos was on top of him, blades in hand. Kratos punched his evil twin in its stomach, diverting the blade that was aimed for his head to the left and embedding it into the ground. Kratos grabbed his twin's other arm and slammed it repeatedly into the ground, loosening its grip on the other blade. When the blade came loose, Kratos grabbed it and swung towards the doppelganger's body. The blade slashed across the twin's abdomen, causing it to recoil and fall backward. Kratos, blade still in hand, got up with the blade in hand and moved away from his evil twin. Once there was tension on the chain, he pulled with as much force as he could muster. The chain jerked and ripped clean off the twin's arm. The dark Kratos screamed in pain as it clutched its torn skin where the chain was seared to its arm. Kratos wrapped the chain, ripped skin and blood still attached, around his own arm and prepared to charge. The doppelganger got up, pulled the other blade out of the ground, and widened its stance.

The two stared at each other, one blade each. The doppelganger, snarling and frothing like a wild animal, charged and swung its blade, which Kratos blocked with the other blade. Flames erupted from both blades hitting each other. The light from the flames overwhelmed the night vision and blinded Kratos for a moment.

"Warning" the helmet announced. Kratos jumped back, still unable to see. He heard a blade swipe the ground where he was standing just milliseconds before. He pressed the button on the helmet, which retracted back into the ring around his neck. All he could see was the flame of his enemy's blade swinging towards him. He blocked again. Flames erupted from the blades, revealing his enemy's face for a short moment. It was contorted, an inhuman caricature of Kratos's face. Mouth sneering, teeth filed down to points, the eyes black and empty, the skin cracked and vascular, with veins popping out from its neck.

The doppelganger swung again. This time, Kratos dodged and grabbed the enemy blade's chain as it swung near him. He pulled the twin towards him and aimed his blade for its heart. He felt the blade enter its chest all the way through to its spine, the heat of the blade sizzling in the wound. The smell of burnt flesh filled Kratos' nostrils, a smell he could never forget. He pulled the blade from the cauterized wound and punched the doppelganger down to the ground. Kratos got on top of his twin and chopped the arm that still had a blade attached clean off, causing the monster to let out a demonic, inhuman scream. Kratos held the blade to the twin's distorted face.

"_Good. Kill him. It's all you know how to do."_

Kratos paused, blade to his twin's neck, the twin struggling to get out from underneath him.

"_Do it. Kill him. It means nothing. You will always be...a monster."_

"Athena."

"What are you doing brother! End it! Get us out of here!" Mimir yelled from Kratos' belt.

Suddenly, time slowed. The struggling of the creature beneath him weakened. Mimir's voice dissipated. Kratos looked up from his enemy to see a translucent figure appear out of the darkness.

"_You will never be rid of him. He is inside you always. He is you, he is the murderer you are."_

"Your words are poison, spirit," Kratos said to the ghostly woman before him.

"_YOU are poison. Poison on this world, and every world you set foot on."_

"...Perhaps."

"_Prove to the sorcerer supreme how worthy you are of her aid. KILL HIM."_

Kratos looked away from Athena's ghost.

"No."

"_KILL HIM!"_

"I will not. This monster deserves death, but he is part of me. He has taught me more lessons than I can count. I will not be a figure of my mistakes. He will never return." Kratos said as he removed the blade from the creature's neck.

"_NO! MONSTER! MURDERER! Kill him..." _Athena's screams faded as her corporeal form began to dissipate into the air.

Kratos unwrapped the blade from his arm and threw it to the ground. As he did so, the blade also began to dissipate. The doppelganger's bloodied body evaporated into the darkness. Light began to return to Kratos' eyes as he returned into the room in the monastery. Before him stood a woman, bald and pale.

"Hello, old friend," Mimir said to the stranger. "It's been a while."

"Hello, Mimir. Welcome to my monastery. And congratulations, Spartan. You have proven yourself worthy of my aid. Now, why did you break my door?" The Ancient One asked.

/

The Ancient One sat across from the table while Kratos told his story, of the aliens, of the attack, of Tamara, of her death and Kratos' quest to avenge her.

"I too was there during the attack, Spartan," The Ancient One explained "I was defending my own home. I too lost a friend to the Chitauri."

"You were in New York?" Kratos asked.

"We have chapters around the world. When our American chapter sounded their alarm, I went there to defend it."

"You have an American chapter. In New York…" Kratos turned to Mimir, who was sitting on the table between the two, a straw leading from a teacup to his mouth. Mimir took a second to realize that Kratos was giving him an extremely agitated look.

"Oh, what?! You try and memorize everything in the universe and see if a fact or two doesn't slip through the cracks!"

"We traveled all this way pointlessly and time was wasted," Kratos mumbled.

"Hey, at least you didn't have to sit in a cold, stuffy cargo hold for, oh who knows how many hours! Trust me, be thankful..." Mimir argued.

"In any case," The Ancient One continued, "you may want to seek justice just as much as anyone else, but you and I have different parts to play in this story. You are not the one to defeat Thanos."

"Is this 'Thanos' the one responsible for the attack?' Kratos asked.

The Ancient One looked to the side, moved her arms in an odd pattern and produced a magical projection of a large armored figure. The figure was muscular and grimacing, his purple skin and bladed weapon dripping with blood.

"Yes, Thanos is the one responsible. A madman from the planet Titan, and a monster in his own right. He is a conqueror and a killer, and just like every other monster throughout history, he believes what he is doing is right."

"Monster or not, he must be stopped," Kratos said sternly.

"I understand your need for justice Kratos, but there is a path we all must take, and your path is not to kill Thanos, but to help the one who will."

"I have changed my fate many times, witch. I doubt your prophecies will be any different."

The Ancient One sighed.

"Very well, Spartan. If you need confirmation of my words, then that is what I'll give you."

She rose out of her seat, pulled a ring from her robe and pointed it at the wall. With her other arm, she began to create a circular pattern in the air. Before their eyes, a gold vortex began to form, opening into a portal to some distant world.

"Beyond that portal is the planet Xandar. It is a rich, overpopulated world and is well defended. In 3 hours, Thanos will attack this planet, killing half of the population. If you truly want to prove your mettle, then here is where you must go."

"I have no weapons to fight him. You would send me on a fool's errand?" Kratos asked.

"Of course not, you only need to ask. Master Mordo!" She said to the hooded figure standing in the doorway. "Fetch this god a weapon worthy of his skills, if you please."

The figure bowed and left the room. Kratos placed Mimir back onto his belt.

"Ooh, I wonder what he'll bring you. I'm hoping for Excalibur, or maybe Hrunting! That would be exciting!" Mimir cackled.

The hooded man returned with a black sword. It was simple in its design, shaped much like a medieval double-handed long sword, but there was an ominous aura about it. The pommel was a disk, marked with an occult symbol on both sides. The sheath was black leather, worn and cracked, with silver lettering running up and down it. The language was unlike anything Kratos has seen on earth. There was a darkness that overcame them all when looking upon it.

"Uh...oh my…th- that's not wh- what I think it is…?" Mimir stuttered.

"The Sword of Abaddon. Good choice, Master Mordo." The Ancient One said, trying to contain her uneasiness.

Mordo approached Kratos and offered the sword. Kratos unsheathed the sword and immediately felt a surge of dark power channel from the sword into his arm and through his body. The blade began to glow a dark red, with red-colored lightning sparking up and down the blade. The blade began to emit a low hum.

"Kratos, that sword is a very powerful tool, but it is also shrouded in a brutal history. Do not let its darkness overcome you. It is also a loan, not a gift, so… please don't lose it." The Sorcerer Supreme warned.

"You have my word," Kratos replied, Putting the sword back in its sheath and placing it on his back.

"Here," The Ancient one pulled a green stone from her robe. "When you have finished, speak into this stone. I will hear you and pull you back."

Kratos took the stone and attached it to his belt. He then nodded to The Ancient One, paused in front of the portal, and stepped through.

Karl Mordo removed his hood and approached the Sorcerer Supreme.

"Why would you send him there knowing what you know?" He asked.

"If he won't accept his path, then he must learn it the hard way." She replied as the portal closed.

"And what of his son?"

"He will learn in time."

"If that is your wish, master."

"There is another task I must ask of you, Karl. There is a man in this city in search of guidance. His name is Stephen Strange. Please retrieve him for me."

"At once, master," Mordo said as he moved for the exit.

"And fix the door, would you? It's getting drafty in here."

The Ancient One sighed and massaged her temple with her fingers.

"Gods…so stubborn...so entitled..."


	6. The Fall of Xandar

**6**

**T****he Fall of Xandar**

Kratos passed through the vortex, leaving earth behind. Before him laid a massive city. The green grass was greener than anything seen on earth, and the buildings stretched far into the sky, white and immaculate. All around, different species were mingling, reading, calmly going about their day. Droids were cleaning the streets, which were pristine and bright. Kratos couldn't imagine such a place being the scene of a battle. He had witnessed many cities fall, Athens, New York, but nothing such as this. The sky was cluttered with vehicles flying back and forth. Kratos had to reach the central government and warn them of the incoming attack. He had no idea where to start; every building seemed bigger and more important than the last as he walked down the streets.

"Hold it right there!" Came a voice from behind as multiple security drones flew towards Kratos. Several Armed security guards came running up, brandishing small arms and energy shields.

"I must speak to your commander!" Kratos exclaimed to the guard with what looked like the highest rank.

"You are under arrest for brandishing a weapon of mass destruction in public!" The guard replied. "Put down the angel weapon and get on the ground!"

"Maybe we should do what they say, brother," Mimir said from his belt.

"I do not have time for this". He unsheathed the sword and the surge of dark power returned to him. He could feel the sword spring to life as the blade glowed it's dark red glow and the arcs of lightning sprang from its razor edge. He looked around, looked at the faces of the soldiers around him. Young, scared, some were barely adults.

"Careful, old friend. we're here to save them, not kill them." Mimir advised. The Blade of Abaddon begged for death, but Kratos sighed and put the blade back in the sheath. The higher-ranking soldier nodded to one of his subordinates to cuff Kratos. The soldier approached the demigod, cuffs in his hand, but couldn't bring himself to come within arms reach of the huge pale man before him. Kratos scowled at the young soldier.

"I will go with you, but try to restrain me, and I will crush your skull with one hand." Kratos warned the nervous Nova Corpsman. The soldier nodded as Kratos began handing his equipment to him.

/

Kratos sat in his cell, an energy shield covering the entrance. The thoughts of his mission, of Thanos, of Tamara, spun through his mind. The door to the room opened and in walked a Nova Corps officer.

"Where did you get that weapon?" The Nova Corps officer asked.

"Release me," Kratos replied. "The attack may already be upon you."

"I'll ask again, where did you get that weapon?" The officer asked, more irritated this time.

"You must listen. Your world is under attack. The one known as Thanos is coming. He will destroy you and there will be nothing standing in his way."

"Thanos…?" The officer paused, then ran off into another room. Some time passed, then the door opened. An older woman, grey hair and in a clean blue uniform entered the room. Irani Rael, the Nova Prime, and commander of the Nova Empire's defense forces.

"What do you know about Thanos?" Irani asked.

"I know he is coming. He may already be here." Kratos replied. "I carry that weapon in service of your world, and I will need it back. When he arrives, I will stand beside you in battle, but you must release me."

"Madame Rael!" said a voice from the doorway. Irani turned and walked briskly to the door, let the officer whisper in her ear, then walked back to the cell.

"How did you know he was here?! Are you a spy?" She asked urgently.

"I am not. I am your best hope of defeating him." Kratos replied. "You have alread wasted too much time to ready your defenses."

Suddenly, a loud rumble shook the ground. Irani lost her footing, then stood back up and ran off into the hallway.

"RELEASE ME, WOMAN!" Shouted Kratos as she ran off. He scanned the cell for weaknesses. He tapped the wall. It was made of an extremely dense metal of some kind. Kratos punched the wall, making a hole in the surface. He pushed his hand through the hole and parted the metal, creating a man-sized rip in the cell wall. Whatever that metal was made of, clearly, it wasn't built for gods. He ran out of the room and down the hall.

Nova Corps soldiers were running back and forth, too busy to notice or care about the Spartan as he searched for the location of his sword and helmet. Above, rumbles and gunfire could be heard. The ceiling of the compound was leaking dust with every explosion. He followed against the tide of armed troops and finally, Kratos found the armory. The Sword of Abaddon and The helmet were sitting on a table in the middle of the room. He put on the helmet, pressed the button and let it engulf his head. He then took the sword and put it on his back.

"We must head for the surface," Kratos exclaimed.

"Of course, straight into the action then. Let's go!" Mimir said.

Kratos let out a confused huff as he looked down at his friend.

"Let's go kick some alien butt! Hi-ho!" Mimir shrieked as they ran off for the surface.

"You are unusually excited for battle, head." Kratos noticed.

"Well, I've pretty much given up staying away from fights when I'm with you. May as well enjoy it! You haven't killed me yet!" Mimir replied.

"...Very well." Kratos replied.

Kratos could see the light of the surface grow brighter as they went further and further up through the compound. Finally, they reached a control center on the surface. Outside the windows, Kratos could see the city. The once white towers now were black and crumbling, flames and smoke being pumped into the air. The grass grew dark as the sky became covered in ash and smoke. The once calm populace was screaming, desperately trying to run away from the craft that was strafing the ground with plasma fire. From the smokey cloud cover, a massive ship emerged, black and ominous. As it lowered closer to the ground, it began to fire its cannons into the surface of the planet, ripping up entire buildings with each shot. Kratos noticed Irani Rael in the room, barking orders through a communication device. Kratos ran up to her.

"What are you doing up here! Guards!" She yelled as he approached.

"I will escape again as before. Do not waste our time. Why is Thanos here?" Kratos asked.

Some Nova Corps soldiers came to Irani's call for help, but she waved them off.

"I don't know why he's here! Gods, first Ronan now this…"

"Why would Thanos attack your world! There must be a reason!"

Plasma fire strafed the side of the compound, sending dust and debris into the air. The windows of the control center shattered, hitting the eyes of one of the operators. He flew to the ground clutching his eyes and screaming, blood dripping down his face.

"There might be one reason, but no one except a select few know about it!" Rael yelled over the sound of battle raging outside.

"Tell me. I can defeat him if you tell me why he's here!"

"Madame Rael! He's deploying ground troops!" An operator called from across the room.

Irani Rael paused. She dropped her head.

"He's after the Infinity Stone."

"Infinity Stone?" Kratos asked.

"I'll explain it when we get moving, brother, but we should hurry!" Mimir yelled.

"Where are you keeping this stone?" Kratos asked Irani.

"In the main Nova Corps building, over there, see it? It's in the vault on the lowest level. Here. My clearance card." She took a card from her coat and handed it to him. "That will get you into anywhere."

"I will stop him," Kratos promised before he and Mimir jumped out the broken window in the battlefield below.

/

"The stone, head. What is its significance?" Kratos asked as he mowed his way through Chitauri ground troops. The Sword of Abaddon cutting through armor like melted butter.

"The infinity stones are six extremely powerful stones that were created by the Celestials eons ago- watch out behind you brother!" Mimir yelled as a Chitauri Outrider charged Kratos from behind. He turned to face the beast, caught it by the jaw and ripped its mouth open. The jaw snapped apart like a plank of wood.

"Target deceased." The helmet said, scanning the Outrider.

"This is very bad, brother. If this madman is trying to find all six, then he could do anything. He could destroy the entire universe if he wanted to!"

"Then we must stop him. MMMF!" Kratos grunted as he pried the spear out of a Chitauri's grasp and sliced its head off with the Sword of Abaddon. The glow of the blade vaporizing the blood of the beast as it sliced through its neck. The blade was beginning to change. With every swing, the sword glowed hotter, and the lightning grew more violent around its blade. Then Kratos felt something coax him to point the blade at a Leviathan above him. A blast of red lightning shot from the Blade, penetrating the beast's armor and shooting through to the other side. The monster roared in pain, then fell to the ground, crushing everything underneath. Not wanting to waste time, he ran from the battle towards Nova Corps HQ. He ran up to the door and pressed the key card against the pad beside the door.

The door beeped and opened, revealing pools of blood in the lobby. Everywhere he looked, there was another body, some were missing limbs, some missing heads, some split in two. He followed the trail of blood, which lead to the elevator. He pressed the bloodied pad beside the elevator and got in. The button leading to the lowest level was caked with a bloody fingerprint, much too large to be human. He looked down and saw the upper half of a Nova Corps guard, his body still intact, but his face was beaten into an unrecognizable mess.

"I think it's about time we kill this guy. These poor people…" Mimir sighed.

"Prepare yourself."

The door to the elevator opened, revealing a long hallway. Bodies and body parts were strewn about every which way, blood splatters caking the walls. The boots carried him quickly through the horror to the end of the hallway. The keycard opened the door, which opened into a large room. The room was empty except for the walls, which were lined with doors, all requiring a card and a key code to unlock. At the center of the room, a large armored figure could be seen opening a small box. Kratos could see the figure raise his left hand, which was encased in some sort of gauntlet. Kratos' eyes widened as the purple-skinned figure placed a purple stone in the gauntlet, releasing a powerful shockwave through the room. Kratos braced and was pushed back by the blast. He looked at the figure. It was him: golden armor, grimacing, purple skin coated with blood.

"Thanos!" Kratos called.

"Who are you?" The Mad Titan asked back.

"I am the God of War. That is all that concerns you."

"God of war? Which one? There have been so many, I lost track of which I have killed. But no matter, I'm sure you would like to test yourself against me, just as the others have tried...and failed." Thanos taunted.

Kratos unsheathed the Sword of Abaddon, the blade sparking to life.

"Warning, extreme power source detected," The helmet's voice spoke into Kratos' ear. "That guy is packing some serious heat, but I'm not sure what it is. Recommend immediate withdrawal."

"This brings me no joy, 'god of war'." Thanos said as he picked up his double-bladed weapon.

"Nor I. I must not forget to tell you. Stark says…'hi'." Kratos said.

Kratos charged across the empty room, Blade glowing red with angelic power. Thanos raised his blades to meet him. The two clashed, causing the air around them to blast the walls, creating cracks and bends in the metal. Kratos used his smaller stature to his advantage, dodging and rolling out of the way of Thanos' clumsy but powerful strikes. Thanos would swing downward, Kratos would roll sideways and swing, ripping Thanos' armor and shredding his purple skin. Thanos would swing sideways, Kratos would dodge backward and thrust. Thanos knew he was losing, and he was losing quickly. He couldn't land a single hit on this little 'god', but he had more power besides martial artistry. He swung into Kratos' blade, sending another shockwave through the room. Kratos' helmet sent out a warning that the purple stone on Thanos' hand began to glow. He looked down at the gauntlet and watched as Thanos let go of his blade, clench his gauntlet into a fist, and swung. Kratos tried to dodge, but the speed of the gauntlet was unexpected. Thanos' fist uppercut Kratos in the jaw, sending him through the ceiling. He felt each impact as he rocketed through floor after floor. Finally, he shot through the roof of the building.

As he was lobbed over the city, all he could see was nothing more than the rubble of war. Creatures of every size were scouring the surface of the sacked city, and small arms plasma fire was seen being shot everywhere he looked. He aimed himself for a Leviathan to cushion his fall, but his velocity sent him straight through the creature. The monster's intestines burst in an explosion of dark blood and armor shrapnel as Kratos blasted through the unsuspecting alien. When Kratos landed, his impact sent a wave through the ground of the planet, shooting debris in every direction. Nearby Chitauri and Nova Corps alike were blasted with a shockwave of air. Eardrums burst and internal organs ruptured, followed by a second wave of debris. Everything in a twenty-five-meter radius was instantly killed, and everything a few meters beyond that were knocked over, deafened or otherwise disabled.

Kratos stood up from his impact site and looked for his enemy, who would surely not be far behind. He looked into the distance and saw the Mad Titan, Thanos, walking calmly towards him. The gauntlet's purple glow bounced off the shattered glass and bloodied armor of the fallen Nova Corps soldiers around him. Kratos readied his blade and waited for Thanos to make the first move. Thanos smiled, stopped and looked to the sky. He pressed a finger to his ear and muttered something. Kratos heard the horn of the ship above roar through the sky. He looked up and watched as the guns of the cruiser began to reorient towards him. He looked around and watched as the Chitauri forces began to mass around him. He turned to Thanos again.

"Helmet. Focus on the incoming ship attacks. I will focus on the ground forces."

"Very well." The helmet interface replied.

"There's a lot of 'em coming from behind, old friend," Mimir said with uncertainty.

"Let them come," Kratos said calmly. The Blade of Abaddon's red glow cried for bloodshed, and Kratos was ready and willing to accommodate.

Thanos stood as his forces began to wash past him in droves, charging straight for Kratos. Leviathans, Chitauri, Outriders and Chitauri Gorilla's all came, numbering in the thousands. The ship's weapons charged, creating an electrical imbalance in the atmosphere. The ground shook with the incoming forces. Kratos charged.

Each swing of the Abaddon Blade sent dozens of Chitauri to their afterlife. Limbs flew, bodies piled into hills, smells unknown to Kratos reached his nose, but he didn't care. He had to end this here and now. The Blade's glow grew with each swing. The arcs of electricity running up and down the blade began to arc to the ground and to the Chitauri surrounding him.

"Incoming rounds." The helmet warned.

Kratos pushed against the army surrounding him, sending Chitauri bodies flying in all directions. He jumped out of the path of the incoming round. The blast of plasma hit the ground, vaporizing hundreds of densely-packed Chitauri. Kratos swung his blade into the crowd of aliens as he landed, sending the stored energy of the blade into the ground. The ground burst into a liquid plasma of red electricity, vaporizing an entire battalion of outriders.

"He's more mobile than I assumed." Ebony observed.

"Call off the ship. If he can just jump away, there's no point in wasting ammo and fodder." Thanos ordered.

"At once, my lord." Ebony replied, giving a bow.

Thanos watched on as wave after wave of his army fell to this aging god. He frowned.

"And call off the troops. This creature deserves special treatment." Thanos added as he looked to his children. The black order all gave a bow and headed down the scorched hill for their prey. Thanos looked on before making his own way down the hill.

Kratos grabbed a hold of a Chitauri gorilla by the neck and drew his blade through its belly, letting its organs fall out before attending to another enemy. The Chitauri army began to retreat, and Kratos knew it wasn't for good reasons. He wiped the alien blood from his hands and grunted as the small cuts and bruises he sustained healed over.

"There are enemies still incoming. They are not Chitauri." The helmet announced.

Kratos turned to face the 4 aliens approaching him. A lanky priest, a massive armored monster, a war-hardened female and a hooded assassin. Kratos readied himself.

Cull charged past the others, swinging his massive war hammer downward toward Kratos. Kratos dodged and slashed Cull's armor, forcing him to recoil. Kratos followed by kicking Cull straight in the chest, sending him flying backward.

"Behind!" Mimir yelled. Kratos turned in time to move his head out of the way of Proxima's incoming spear. Kratos grabbed the spear and pulled Proxima towards him, headbutting her, and sending her back as well. Kratos went to charge Corvus but was stopped by an unseen force. He looked over to Ebony as he flicked his wrist. He could feel his arms being held back by something. Corvus took the advantage and stabbed at Kratos, but Kratos' godly strength allowed him to bend Ebony's telekinesis enough to dodge. Kratos tried to counterattack, but his blade was slowed by Ebony's powers.

Cull regained his footing and rejoined the battle. Kratos ripped his arm out of the telekinetic hold, and swung his blade at Corvus, but Cull side-checked Kratos at full speed, sending him shooting towards Ebony. Ebony pulled debris into a shield around him, but Kratos blasted through it, tackling Ebony into the ground. Kratos pulled back for a punch, but Cull was there to grab his arm, pull him back and swing him into the ground. The impact blasted Corvus and Proxima backward, but Cull didn't let go. Kratos swung the blade at Cull's arm, breaking the skin and slashing muscle. Cull groaned as his arm hung tp his body by a thread. In his pain and anger, Cull stomped Kratos farther into the ground.

Ebony saw the opportunity and tried to bury Kratos while he lay, sending debris and pieces of buildings down on top of him. Thanos, approaching the battle, watched as Kratos was buried in a mountain of rocks, concrete, and glass. He grinned.

"Good work, my children."

The Members of the black order stood for a moment. Cull looked at his limp arm. It was swinging by a few muscle fibers and was bleeding profusely. Proxima and Corvus looked at each other with embarrassment.

"Some help you both were!" Cull yelled at them.

"He was beyond any single one of you, children. However, together, you-"

Thanos was interrupted as the rubble burying Kratos began to shake. From the cracks in the concrete, a red glow was shining dimly.

"What-?" Corvus asked.

Just as he asked, the hill of rubble burst, shooting rocks and shrapnel straight for the Black Order. Ebony managed to put up a kinetic shield in time to stop most of the incoming material, but some rocks and shrapnel managed to hit Proxima and Cull. When the dust cleared, Kratos was standing, his arms wreathed in flame, his eyes glowing.

"Fascinating," Ebony stated, the corners of his mouth curling upwards with the promise of a challenge.

"What is he?" Cull asked in confusion, still gripping his wounded arm.

"Fine. I will handle this myself." Thanos said impatiently. The Black Order backed away as Thanos readied the gauntlet.

Kratos bent down and grabbed a large rock. With a roar, he lobbed it at Thanos at near mach-speed. Thanos managed to block the incoming rock with the gauntlet. With a purple blast, the rock exploded, leaving Thanos untouched. Kratos charged the Titan and jumped into the air. Thanos crossed his arms over his body as Kratos threw his fists against the ground, sending a shockwave through the crust of the planet. Thanos was set off-balance by the blast, but the stone gave him the strength to regain his composure in time to block Kratos' next punch. As Kratos threw his punch, the Power Stone sent out a blast of purple energy, launching Kratos backward. He pushed hard against the ground with his feet, stopping his backward velocity.

"I wonder what will happen if _I_ punch the ground?" Thanos asked to Kratos with a sneer.

Kratos ran at Thanos, but the gauntlet had already made contact with the ground, and the planet's crust began to break apart. Magma erupted from the cracks in the ground, and the very geography of the continent began to reshape. As the stability of the ground failed beneath him, Kratos tried to find a way to use it to advantage. The helmet began to calculate paths through the maze of rock and magma. Kratos jumped from platform to platform as the ground began to give way to the ocean of lava that replaced it. Thanos was also trying to stay on top of the situation he put himself in.

The two met on one of the larger pieces of ground that was still intact. The two looked at each other for a moment.

"You are powerful, I will grant you that compliment," Thanos said.

"Enough Talk!" Kratos roared back. His flaming fists clenched, he closed the gap between them with one jump and threw the first punch. Thanos blocked and counterattacked with a left hook, hitting Kratos in the right cheek. Kratos returned the favor with an uppercut to the jaw and a left and right cross straight to Thanos' stomach. The two became enclosed in an all-out close-quarters brawl. Both landing and taking punches, dodging and lunging at each other, to the point where the two were bloodied and beaten. Kratos could feel the rage inside him running out, but Thanos and his Power Stone weren't letting up. Eventually, the flames engulfing Kratos' fists died out, and Thanos threw one good punch to Kratos' gut. Kratos groaned, but stayed standing, and tackled Thanos to the ground. Kratos threw punches into Thanos' face, a left, a right, but Thanos' managed to land another good hit, knocking Kratos off of him. Thanos got on top of Kratos and pointed the gauntlet at Kratos. The Power Stone shot a beam of purple energy into Kratos' face, singeing his beard and burning his eyes. Kratos tried to land a punch, just grazing Thanos' shoulder. Thanos recoiled, groaned, then threw a punch in return, hitting Kratos square in the nose, breaking the ground beneath them. The magma opened up underneath Kratos' head, and he could feel the heat underneath him building up. Thanos grabbed Kratos' head with both hands and began to push him closer to the magma. Kratos pushed back, but the Power Stone glowed stronger with each second. He could feel the magma grazing the back of his skull.

"Just like the rest...unngh...of the so-called gods! You all eventually die." Thanos said as he struggled to push Kratos further into the magma. As his head began to submerge under the liquid rock, Kratos felt a strength return to him, and with everything he had, he brought his leg in, and kicked Thanos in the stomach. Thanos was sent flying back, barely stopping himself from hitting the magma as he rolled. Kratos pulled himself out from the magma, his godly beard a little scorched and his head aching severely. He went to get up, but he felt a force push him back down to the ground. Ebony was floating above him, once again pushing him down with his telekinetics. Kratos ripped himself from the grasps of Ebony's powers, but Thanos was up and was standing over him.

"Thank you, my child," Thanos said as he pressed a foot down on Kratos' chest and pushed. The combined push of Ebony's telekinesis and Thanos' foot started to bear down on Kratos' ribs. He could feel them start to crack.

"Don't worry, you will die...with songs sung of your heroism. I commend you...for your efforts." Thanos said in between breaths. Kratos felt the pressure on his ribs increase. It was time to fight dirty. With his free hand, he slowly got free of Ebony's push, grabbed a hold of Thanos' Achilles tendon through his armor, and pulled. Thanos screamed as Kratos' hand clamped around his leg and ripped his tendons from his body.

"Father!" Ebony exclaimed.

Thanos fell back and clasped at his bleeding leg.

"Perhaps a tactical retreat, brother?" Mimir asked urgently.

Kratos looked around. The planet was ash. The ground was almost nothing but lava, piles of the dead and crumbling buildings. He looked to Thanos, who was still clinging to his leg as it bled profusely. He slowly brought himself up from the ground, his ribs aching and his head throbbing from the heat of the magma. His vision was blurred, and sounds were muffled in his ringing ears. He dragged his feet across the ground towards the groaning Thanos, pure vengeance urging his battered body on. This madman had to die, but his advance towards the Mad Titan was halted as the helmet began to alert him to the oncoming presence of the Black Order, who had heard their father's roars of pain. Unsure of whether or not he could defeat Thanos and the Black Order in his state, Kratos pulled the Sorcerer Supreme's stone from his belt.

"Witch, I am done here."

As he spoke, a portal appeared before him. He tried to get up.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Ebony yelled. Kratos felt the familiar pull of Ebony's power. Weakened as he was, Kratos managed to rip free and step through the portal before Ebony's wall of sharp glass came flying towards him.

Thanos looked at his leg as it bled out. Ebony landed beside his father and began to assess the damage.

"Nothing I can't mend, my lord." Ebony stated.

"Do it. Ugh…" Thanos grunted.

"What of the survivors of this world?" Ebony asked.

"We have the Stone. We are done here." Thanos said, looking at the dead and smoking world around him.

/

Thor kneeled before Odin, upon his return from Svartalfheim and his victory over the Dark Elves.

"You once said, there would never be a wiser king than me. You were wrong." Odin said as he stood by his throne, staff in hand.

"The alignment has brought all the realms together," Odin continued, "every one of them saw you offer your life to save them. What can Asgard offer its new king in return?"

Thor looked up from the floor. "My life."

Odin stood, confused.

"Father, I cannot be king of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair. Loki, for all his grave imbalance, understood rule as I know I never will. The brutality, the sacrifice, the lies...it changes you. I would rather be a good man than a great king. "

Odin listened. "Is this my son I hear, or the woman he loves?"

"When you speak to me, I never hear mother's voice," Thor replied. Odin let out a sigh of frustration.

"This is not for Jane, father. She does not know what I came here to say. Now forbid me to see her or say she can rule by my side, it changes nothing."

"One son who wanted the throne too much...another who will not take it," Odin said as he sat down in his throne. "Is this my legacy?"

"Loki died with honor. I shall try to live the same, is that legacy enough?"

Thor removed Mjolnir's strap from his wrist and presented the weapon to his father. Odin waved his hand dismissively.

"It belongs to you…" Odin sighed. "If you are worthy of it."

"I shall try to be. My only regret is that I did not tell Loki that his father yet lives. One final good thought for his passing."

Odin flinched, raising an eyebrow, then composed himself.

"I cannot give you my blessing, nor can I wish you good fortune."

"I know."

Thor turned to walk away.

"IF I were proud of the man my son had become," Odin added. Thor turned back around. "Even that I could not say. It would speak only from my heart. Go...My son."

"Thank you, father." Thor turned and left the room. As Thor left, where the illusion of Odin sat, Loki now was, sitting on the Throne, holding his father's staff.

"No. Thank you." Loki said, grinning from ear to ear. His father yet lived? It was an interesting development...for another time. For now, with Thor gone, it was time to rule Asgard as king.

/

Kratos awoke on a bed, The Ancient One looking over him. His ribs were still weighing down on his lungs.

"Mimir, tell me what happened so I can heal him." He heard The Ancient One say, muffled by his ears, ringing from the blows Thanos dealt him. He was tired and felt himself falling prey to unconsciousness.

"Thanos has the Power Stone! I've never seen a mortal wield them before without being ripped apart."

"Was it on a weapon?"

"It was on his damn hand, I swear!"

"Then he does have the gauntlet. Kratos, stay with us, do you hear me? Don't fall asleep. Stay wi..ss…."

Kratos' senses dimmed as his consciousness faded until everything went black. When he opened his eyes, he found himself floating in the darkness of space. He could breathe, or perhaps he could not, for he wasn't breathing, but he wasn't suffocating. Before him lay the vastness of the cosmos in all its splendor. As he floated, the stars began to move, the nebulas began to accumulate with the dust and the planets and the very blackness of space itself. All the heavenly bodies arranged themselves to form a face, arms, legs, and a vast cloak, lightyears in length. The eyes of the great face made of stars looked down on the infinitely small Kratos.

"KRATOS…." the being called out, its voice booming through the void. The voice was infinite in volume, such that the entire cosmos shook with its words, but it didn't hurt Kratos to hear it.

"Who are you?" Kratos asked. The face of the figure came closer, the universe quaking under its movement.

"I AM ETERNITY." The being announced, light from distant galaxies bending around its infinite gravity.

"I am dead then…" Kratos sighed. Eternity's frown weakened into a neutral expression.

"YES. BUT YOU ARE NOT FINISHED, GHOST OF SPARTA. YOU WILL LIVE ON."

"I never seem to be finished…why is it that I must live and die over and over again? Why must I watch my families, anyone I get close to, die as I live on?! Have I not suffered enough?!" Kratos demanded. Eternity's expression turned to anger.

"THERE ARE LARGER THINGS AT WORK THAN YOUR SMALL LIFE, KRATOS. THE BALANCE OF LIFE AND DEATH IS AT RISK."

"And why should I care about this balance?" Kratos asked.

"THE ANCIENT ONE HAS SHOWN YOU THE POWER OF THE INFINITY STONES. WITH ONE, THANOS CAN LEVEL PLANETS. WITH SIX HE CAN ERASE THE UNIVERSE. WHEN HE FINDS ALL SIX, HE WILL HOLD THE BALANCE OF THE COSMOS HOSTAGE. HE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO REACH THIS GOAL. THERE IS A NATURAL ORDER TO THINGS, AND THANOS IS THE ANTITHESIS TO THAT BALANCE."

"Thanos defeated me. His power was far beyond mine. What more can I do against him?"

"MUCH. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHEN THE TIME COMES. AND YOU WILL KNOW WHEN THE TIME HAS COME."

Eternity raised his finger to Kratos. Cosmic power shot from the finger in Kratos' chest, surging energy through his body. The energy transfer was intense like nothing Kratos had felt before.

"I GIFT YOU THE RAGE OF ETERNITY. YOU USE ANGER AS A TOOL IN BATTLE, LET THIS GIFT PROVIDE YOU WITH THE POWER TO COMPLETE YOUR TASK. GOOD LUCK SPARTAN."

Eternity's form dissipated back into the cosmos, the planets and stars returning to their places in the universe. Kratos was once again surrounded by nothing but the emptiness of space.

/

Kratos gasped and raised himself off of the cold metal table.

"Woah, Woah, big guy, calm down, you've been out a while!" Tony said, backing off as the Spartan adjusted to his surroundings. He was back in the medical bay of Avengers Tower. Bandages wrapped around his leg, his chest and his jaw.

"How…"

"Did you get here?" Tony finished Kratos' sentence, "You fell through a big magical orange hole, along with Marie Antoinette over there. Quite the chatterbox for someone without any lungs..." He pointed to Mimir, who was sitting on a desk. Mimir let out a chuckle.

"It's funny because I WAS beheaded, AND I have no lungs!"

Kratos and Tony looked at Mimir awkwardly.

"I'll just keep my mouth shut then…"

"We patched you up as best we could," Tony continued, "but you were clinically dead for a bit there. We were making plans to cremate you until you woke up...well, just now."

"Thano..." Kratos struggled to speak the name. Before he could finish his words, Thor entered the room.

"He survived I see. Stark, I would like a moment alone with the God Slay- with Kratos." Thor requested.

Tony looked at Thor, then to Kratos. "I want him in bed by 11, and no hanky panky." He said to Thor as he picked up Mimir and left the room. "And also, not blowing holes in my new tower, big no-no there. Adults resolve their disputes with words, not earth-shattering punches, thanks."

"You don't know Kratos very well, do you?" Said Mimir as Tony carried him out. "Let me tell you a story about Kratos and Mattugr Helson..."

Mimir began to recall his story. The door closed as Tony and Mimir left the room. Thor approached Kratos' bed.

"I…learned from my father that what you said was true. He admitted to attacking your village and killing your wife...to stealing away your child."

Kratos sighed and stayed quiet. Thor then hesitated to say what he had to say next.

"...Your son...was alive and well in Asgard for many years, under my very nose. Loki was the child my father stole from you. He was a Frost Giant, which means your wife was one as well."

Kratos' eyes widened. Faye was a Frost Giant? Why had she kept this secret? Why didn't she say anything? He could have kept her safe from Asgard if he had known. Loki was his son? The one who led the Chitauri armies at New York? Surely this couldn't be.

"Loki died with honor in Svartalfheim, defending the 9 realms and keeping them from falling into chaos. You would have been proud of him."

Kratos felt both relief and sadness in his soul. His son, dying with honor in battle. He never had the chance to meet him, to teach him the ways of his people, but to hear he died for a good cause was comforting. All Kratos could do was sit there and take it all in.

"I misjudged you, God Slayer. Perhaps we may be able to trust each other. Perhaps we may yet be able to work together. If your skills shown in our fight are any indication, you would be a worthy addition to our company." Thor chuckled and rubbed his nose were Kratos had broken it.

Kratos gave a weak nod. Thor turned to leave the room.

"Thor..." Kratos mumbled.

"Yes?" Thor asked. Kratos pointed to the remote for the TV. Thor placed the remote in Kratos' hand and left the room. He changed the channel to History. Reruns of Ancient Aliens. Amusing...


	7. Echoes of an Old Life

**WHOOPS: **Sorry, folks. I reformatted my story by amalgamating the multiple smaller chapters into fewer bigger chapters. Apparently, when I reformatted my story, I somehow didn't repost this chapter. That's my bad. But here it is.

**7**

**Echoes of an Old Life**

Kratos found himself in the infirmary of Avengers Tower, in a bed. Across from his was an operating table with a body laying on it, a sheet covering its form. He got up from his bed and approached the table. He reached for the sheet and removed it from the body's face. It was Tamara, cold and dead. Kratos went to replace the sheet, but before he moved, her eyes opened, black and empty.

"Kratos." Her mouth opened, blood spilling from her teeth, black liquid spilling from her blackened eyes.

"Failure." Her words echoed through the room.

/

Kratos sprang up in his bed in a cold sweat. Another damn nightmare. He looked about his quarters and rubbed his clenched jaw. He had been contemplating his battle with Thanos for some time. For once, in his 2300 years on this earth, Kratos felt...old. His body could once heal from any damage, and now it took a day or two to recover from near-fatal injuries. Had his half-human side begun to catch up with him?

He rose out of his bed and looked around his quarters. On the table, at the foot of his bed, he saw a suit of white matte tactical armor. The outer plates were made from Dyneema ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene while the inner layer was a kevlar bodysuit. On top of the suit was a note that said: "Meet on party deck". He put the suit on and walked down the hall. Avengers tower had changed substantially since his last visit. What was once the research and development floors of Stark Tower was now turned into the tactical headquarters of the Avengers. The low orange lighting of the old tower was replaced with the blue crisp lighting of the new. The helipad had been replaced with a launchpad for an old S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet, and the Stark symbol on the side of the tower was replaced with the Avengers symbol. Kratos entered the party deck of the tower, where everybody was assembled: Tony, Thor, Steve, Bruce, Natalia, Clint, and Mimir, who was sitting on the mantle of the fireplace. They all turned to watch Kratos as he entered the room.

"Look who's up!' Tony announced. "Welcome to the family reunion. We were all just discussing what we did on our vacations. Sparkles, I think we were just getting to you in the circle."

Thor stood from his seat. "In my time away from Midgard, the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim attacked Asgard and threatened the safety of the nine realms. They were defeated. I refused my claim to the crown of Asgard and now stand here ready to defend the realms against whatever may come."

"Okay, right on. Stopping the… dark elves, which exist apparently," Tony said as Thor sat back down.

"Ah, yes, the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim." Mimir began, "I could tell you stories of the battle between the Light and Dark Elves. Did you know that the light of Alfheim has changed hands no less than-"

"Hey, Nearly Headless Nick, don't you start with another one, please. Please? Just for now?" Tony interrupted.

"I'll just pick this up later then…" Mimir said, sounding wounded.

"As for me, I defeated a terrorist who was powered by a chemical which caused him to breathe fire, so that's a new experience for me." Tony continued. "What about you, Casper. Any war stories?"

"No," Kratos replied.

"Oh come on, you fell through a magical vortex into my lap with...the talking head." Black Widow said, pointing to Mimir.

"I have a name, my dear."

"I would rather NOT...discuss it," Kratos said, still embarrassed by his defeat.

"Did anybody just...relax during their time off? Maybe meditate? Have a pot of chamomile?" Bruce asked, looking around the room.

"I saw my family," Hawkeye said, raising his hand and pointing at Bruce.

"Okay, cool, I'm not the only one then. You know, taking a mental health day is good for you once in a while, guys. Take a break...once in a while." Banner said, shrinking into his chair. "Buuuut look who I'm talking to…"

"Hydra doesn't take a break," Steve said to the group. Bruce made a smug expression and mouthed the words 'here we go'.

"I spent my time discovering that Hydra has infiltrated every level of S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve continued, "As a result, S.H.I.E.L.D. has recently collapsed, which means we are on our own from now on. Fury has gone to Europe to find any Hydra bases that may still be out there, which brings us as to why we're all here." Steve pressed a button on the remote he was holding. The screen on the wall sprang to life, showing a map of a country in Eastern Europe.

"This is Sokovia, it's the home of one of a large Hydra base, headed by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker," said Steve, as the map zoomed in and focused on a bird's eye view of a large military compound. "Our recce of the base have shown that they are using astronomical amounts of energy, nothing a small country like Sokovia could sustain. We've seen evidence of direct energy weaponry, armor and plasma artillery. We're assuming this means they have the scepter to power everything. We don't want them studying it well enough to start another war."

"So we go in, raise hell, take the scepter or otherwise disrupt their operations, then get out," Natalia added.

"We leave for Sokovia in two hours. Let's get some breakfast in us and move out." Steve said turning off the screen.

Kratos walked up to Mimir while the rest left the room.

"Hydra?" Kratos asked.

"From what I could tell, Hydra is some sort of evil organization bent on world domination through fear-mongering and authoritarian rule," Mimir explained.

"Like the gods..."

"If that's the way you want to look at it, then yes."

"Then Hydra cannot be allowed to continue their work. I will return." Kratos said as he left Mimir on the mantle.

"Not taking me? Oh, yes, don't worry about me then, I'll just sit here alone and count DOTS ON THE CEILING!" Mimir yelled as Kratos left the room.

/

The Quinjet roared across the sky, the small jet containing seven of the most powerful people on the planet.

"This shall be our first mission together," Thor said to Kratos over the sound of the engines.

"Yes."

"Will you prove to us that you can be trusted?"

"Worry about the enemy, not me."

"Forgive my worry, but you did break my face."

"And you shot lightning at me and hit me with a hammer."

The two paused, then Thor began to laugh.

"That is true. Then let us demonstrate for these Hydra fellows the wrath of the gods, together!" Thor exclaimed, smacking Kratos' back, throwing Kratos' off-balance. Kratos was tempted to flash Thor a scowl but decided against it.

"Very well, Odinson. Together." Kratos said, regaining his balance in the bumpy jet. "Are you prepared?"

Thor lifted Mjolnir to inspect it. "I am. You?"

Kratos patted his M134 Minigun. "Indeed."

"Okay, everybody. Two minutes!" Captain America signaled on the back of the motorbike which he insisted on bringing into the jet.

"Okay Bruce, time to go green." Widow said to Banner over the headsets. Bruce began to think hard, then started getting mad. Hawkeye put the picture of his wife back into his pocket while Iron Man let his faceplate flip down onto his face.

"Remember the plan everybody. Tony takes out the base's heavy artillery while the rest of us deal with the ground forces and advance into the compound." Captain America clarified. "And watch out for the plasma fire, we all know how much it sucks to get hit by that. Good luck everybody."

The rear door of the jet lowered over the frozen ground of Sokovia. Captain America's bike released from the floor and launched from the hovering jet, followed by Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, and the now fully-formed Hulk. Kratos picked up his Minigun from the jet, attached the ammo to his back and jumped down. He watched the others charge away from the jet into the snow-covered forest. Once the jet landed, Window got out from the cockpit and sprinted out of the rear door.

"Come on, old man, we have a bit of a run to do before we get there." She yelled as she ran off into the forest herself.

Old man. He would show her old man. Kratos adjusted his ammo bag and began to run after the rest, quickly passing Widow and Hawkeye as he sprinted for the Hydra base. Widow and Hawkeye gave each other a look as he zoomed past them.

"We should get...a truck or something," Hawkeye said, in between breaths.

"Agreed." Widow replied also out of breath.

They both stopped and grinned at each other as a reconnaissance jeep full of Hydra soldiers came bursting through the forest, stopping in front of them.

Kratos caught up with Captain America on his bike. The captain looked over and did a double-take. There was Kratos, keeping up with him with a fully loaded M134 on his back.

"Okay, show off, push left and take a flanking position. Jarvis, what's the enemy situation?" Steve asked over the coms.

"You have armor and infantry coming up fast, there are some reconnaissance vehicles behind you as well. Bunkers and machine-gun nests in your way. Have fun down there." Jarvis' voice could be heard over Kratos' headset while Iron Man's armor roared overhead. Kratos leaped onto a cliff and took up a firing position. The base wasn't far, and he could see the Hydra forces moving up through the forest. He aimed at a group of infantry and pressed the trigger.

BRRRRRRRRRRT!

The roar of the M134 rang out through the forest, signaling everyone to open fire. Within seconds, plasma fire and shouts filled the forest.

BRRRRRRRT!

Kratos watched his tracers fly through the air and into another group of Hydra soldiers. He watched as several of the soldiers were ripped apart from the volume of bullets he was sending downrange. Hawkeye and Widow were catching up now, having stolen the jeep from the Hydra troops that crossed their path earlier. Now the avengers were fully in the fray, mowing down Hydra forces like they were made of melted butter. Kratos noticed some jetpack units entering the forest and took aim.

BRRRRRRRRRT! BRRRRRRRRRRRT!

One by one, the jetpacked soldiers blew apart like bloody fireworks, the M134 ripping them to shreds with each burst. Once he cleared the skies, Kratos turned his attention to the tank below him. He took aim and pulled the trigger.

*click wrrrrrrrrrrr*

The barrels hissed in the snow as Kratos dropped the empty weapon on the ground. He jumped down from the cliff, barely dodging a shot from the tank below him. Kratos landed on the tank, creating two dents where his feet landed. With one hand, he ripped the turret off the tank and with the other he pulled out the tank commander. The commander screamed for his life as the scowling Kratos yanked him out of his hole in the now useless hunk of metal. Kratos threw the turret at a machine gun nest, crushing the concrete structure beneath the impact, then turned his attention to the mortal in his grasp.

"Bože, prosím, nezabíjaj ma!" The tank commander screamed. Whatever he said, Kratos didn't care. Kratos took a grenade from the commander's vest, quickly snapped his neck and tossed him back in the tank. Screams of horror could be heard inside as the tank crew had their commander dropped on them. Kratos pulled the pin on the grenade and dropped it in the tank.

Kratos jumped off the tank and turned towards the base. A jetpack soldier flew in to hit Kratos with a volley of plasma, but Kratos saw him, picked up a rock and lobbed it at the soldier. The rock hit with the power of a rocket launcher, blowing the soldier's head apart and dropping the plasma rifle at Kratos' feet. He picked up the rifle and took aim at some soldiers who were beginning to open fire at him. A plasma round hit his shoulder armor, burning through the Dyneema plate, but not breaching it. He recovered from the impact and opened fire. Headshot. Headshot. Headshot. Headshot. Kratos allowed himself a satisfied huff as his skills slowly returned to him. He made sure each soldier was not getting back up, then ran to catch up with the rest of the team.

Iron Man was en route to the base, plasma fire targeting him from the main fortress. Just as Iron Man went to break through the defenses, he was knocked away from the base by a flash of blue light.

"SHIT!" Iron Man said over the coms.

"Language!" Captain America replied. Kratos could see Steve still riding his bike through the snow. "Jarvis, what's the view from upstairs?"

"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is far beyond any other Hydra base we've seen."

"Loki's scepter must be here!" Thor's voice replied over the headset. "Strucker couldn't mount this defense without it...at long last."

Kratos charged another tank, stopping it in its tracks, grabbing it by the base and flipping it onto the soldiers hiding behind it. He then looked to Black Widow, who was attempting to clear a machine gun nest. He leaped into the nest, grabbed a heavier soldier and used his body to knock away the other gunners, sending them meters into the air. He then threw his screaming, broken victim to the ground and crushed his foot into the soldier's face, spreading brains across the ground. Kratos noticed a soldier taking aim at Natalia while she was taking down two gunners. He picked up an artillery piece, pointed it towards the soldier and fired, vaporizing the soldier in a red and blue cloud of blood and plasma fumes.

"'At long last' is lasting a little long, boys." Widow quipped, shooting down another gunner

"Yeah, I think we lost the element of surprise," Hawkeye replied.

"What a sec," Iron Man said. Kratos could see him mowing down forces on the walls of the fortress. "No one else is gonna deal with the fact that the Cap just said…'language'?"

"I know," Steve replied over the radio. "Just slipped out…"

Kratos turned to a concrete bunker and approached it from behind. He readied his fist and punched into the concrete, collapsing the bunker, the soldiers inside coughing and yelling. As they tried to escape the bunker, Kratos grabbed one and punched his way through his intestines, disemboweling him. He then threw the corpse into the path of a passing jetpack soldier, knocking him out of the air and covering him in his comrade's blood. The next soldier, he grabbed by the arm and swung him over his head, slamming his frail mortal body into the ground, knocking him out and breaking several bones in his body.

"Sir, the city is taking fire." Said Jarvis. The plasma artillery aimed at Iron Man was arcing too high, the rounds landing far into the distance.

"Well, we know Strucker's not gonna worry about civilian casualties. Send in the Iron Legion," Tony replied. Overhead, a dozen Flying humanoids came flying from behind the mountain peaks towards the direction of the city.

"Why do we tarry, Jarvis, have you not found a weakness we can use?" Kratos asked impatiently over the headset.

"I am trying to scan for one," Jarvis replied.

"We have an enhanced in the field," Steve called out. Kratos looked to the Captain's position and saw a blue blur coming towards him. The impact of the fast-moving figure knocked Kratos back a step, but the figure was knocked back much farther and rolled along the ground, stopping several meters from Kratos. The silver-haired man quickly recovered from his surprise and zoomed off again in a blue blur. Kratos brushed his shoulder nonchalantly and turned back to run towards the base. He saw Widow and Hawkeye on the ground, under fire from another concrete bunker.

"Somebody wanna deal with that bunker?" Widow called out. Before Kratos could respond, the Hulk jumped down from out of nowhere, roaring and raging. Hulk smashed into the ground and barged his way through the bunker, demolishing it.

"Thank you." Widow replied.

Kratos continued his advance towards the base, the walls growing larger in the distance. He charged a squad of Hydra troops, ripped a tree from its roots and swung it into the group of enemies. The bodies of the soldiers were flung backward hundreds of meters, slamming themselves on the wall of the base and falling into the trenches below. The soldiers in the trench, terrified after having human mulch dropped on them, retreated into the base, not even turning back to cover their comrades' retreat.

"Stark, we really...need to...get inside!" Steve said while fending off another Hydra squad.

"I'm closing in," Tony's voice said on the coms. "Jarvis, am I...closing in? You see a power source for that shield?"

"There's a power relay beneath the north tower." Jarvis replied.

"Great, I wanna poke it with something."

Kratos looked up to see Iron Man drop a missile on the tower, penetrating the stone. The energy shield began to shut down.

"Drawbridge is down, people." Said Tony.

Kratos charged his way up to the wall and shouldered the gate open, blasting the troops behind with splinters and shrapnel.

"Clint's hit pretty bad guys, we're gonna need evac," Widow called out through the coms.

"I can get Barton to the jet, the sooner we're gone, the better. You, Stark and Kratos secure the scepter." Thor said to Steve.

"Copy that" Steve replied.

"I shall hold the gate open for you, Captain." Kratos radioed to Steve as he brought part of the wall down on top of another tank, crushing the tank and some troops beneath several tons of concrete and steel.

"Find the scepter!" Thor said as he flew off to pick up Hawkeye.

"And for God's sakes, watch your language!" Tony jeered.

"That's not gonna go away anytime soon." Captain America sighed.

/

Kratos, after defeating the last of the enemy resistance, broke into the central building, Captain America following behind.

"I'll find Strucker, you clear the remaining Hydra troops," Rogers ordered.

"Very well," Kratos replied.

The place was a maze. Kratos walked through corridors left and right, trying to find the remaining forces.

_Kratos…_

A voice came from behind him. He turned to see a shadow move behind a corner.

_Over here…_

Kratos followed around the corner, the shadow just moving beyond his line of sight.

"We have a second enhanced, female, do not engage." Steve's voice rang over the coms. Kratos' ignored the warning and continued the pursuit.

_Keep going…_

"Show yourself, Athena…" Kratos mumbled to himself as he followed.

"Guys, I got Strucker," Steve said.

"Yeah, I got something bigger…" Tony's voiced cracked over the radio.

Kratos finally turned the corner and found a room full of artifacts and weapons. He entered the room and walked past the artifacts. Ancient weapons from the old world. Weapons from the Chitauri arsenal. Pieces of armor from different parts of the world. Pieces of scientific machinery, and a bloody chair. In the chair was a human corpse, held down by metal clamps, burnt to a crisp and still smoldering.

"Captain, they were testing alien and mythological weapons on live subjects in here." Kratos radioed to the team.

_Back here…_

Kratos turned towards the voice. He pushed a shelf aside to reveal something he thought he would never see again. Before Kratos, resting in a large glass container, was the armor he wore as the God of War, reassembled and reforged from the broken shards he left in Rhodes, all those years ago. The pauldrons decorated with the symbol of the ram, the symbol of Ares. The black chainmail was pristine and flawlessly crafted, and the maroon Pteruges hanging from the waist was sewn as if it were brand new. How did they find this? How did they fix it all? He opened the glass container, activating some mechanism inside. As the container opened itself, more compartments within the box began to open.

"No…"

The Blades of Chaos, hanging from their chains, crusty with dried blood, revealed themselves as the container continued to open. A drawer opened to reveal two spiked metal bracelets.

_Take them…_

"I will not. I couldn't again..."

_We both know you will…_

"How many times have I thrown them away?"

_How many times have they returned to you?_

Kratos looked at the armor before him. At the blades presented to him. For all his efforts, he could never be rid of these cursed blades, as if the universe was playing some sick joke on him.

"Thor," Said Tony over the radio, "I got eyes on the prize."

_You can't defeat Thanos without them._

"I will find another way. I will..."

Kratos looked at the blades. His hands once again shaking with anxiety. Thanos was powerful, and Kratos hated himself for thinking it, but he needed every advantage against him. Hesitating for a moment, he approached the Armor and began to take it, piece by piece, out of the container. The armor still fit, the welded cracks barely noticeable in the armor upon closer inspection. He felt all his old human frailty slowly leave him as the armor's godly magic enhanced his health and vitality. He turned to the metal bracelets in the drawer and put them on his wrists. Giving a small jerk outwards with his hands, the bracelets erupted in a cloud of white mist, revealing two giant metal gauntlets in the shape of a lion's head. How did they reforge everything? The cestus was destroyed by Zeus! Hydra must have some very powerful friends if they can reforge Olympian weapons. Kratos looked to the weapons that caused so much pain, so much death. His hands slowly pulled the Blades off the wall of the container, the chains wrapping themselves tightly around his forearms with a mind of their own. As Kratos turned to leave the room, a couple remaining Hydra troops charged into the room, surrounding the demi-god, weapons raised.

"Forgive me again, Lysandra…" Kratos muttered to himself in Ancient Greek as the flames of the blades sprang to life.

_She never will..._

"Strieľať!" a Hydra commander ordered. Before they could begin firing, Kratos released the blades from his hand, swinging them towards the soldiers. The flaming blades sliced through the shelves, burning through the metal like scissors through tissue paper. The first soldier hit by the blades was slit in half, his wounds sizzling and bubbling, and his clothes caught on fire from the heat of the blades. The blood spatter washed over the nearby soldiers, the horror of the scene sending them in full retreat. The other blade came slicing through another soldier, ripping his face in half and lighting his hair on fire.

The soldiers scampered through the stone halls, mindlessly running from the demigod as he closed in on them. One soldier tripped, screaming for help from his comrades, but they didn't stop to see who was screaming. The last thing the soldier saw was Kratos' cold unfeeling face, lit orange by the flames, ripping into his chest.

/

"Where's Casper?" Tony asked, counting everybody as they sat waiting in the jet.

"I think that's him?" Bruce said, confused, looking into the forest.

"Jesus. I mean...yeah, Jesus." Steve exclaimed.

Kratos appeared from the trees, covered in blood, cloaked in the ancient armor, the Blades of Chaos attached to his back.

"You find some new toys? Get a makeover?" Tony asked nervously.

"Tools for the battles to come, nothing more," Kratos replied solemnly.

"What happened?!" Widow said, looking at the blood that coated Kratos up and down.

"The tools performed well," Kratos replied as he boarded the jet.

/

The team sat quietly as the Jarvis flew the jet home. Tony took a look at the scepter in his armored hand.

"It feels good, yeah? I mean, you've been after this thing since S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed. Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties, but-"

"No," Interrupted Thor, "but this...this brings it to a close."

"As soon as we find out what else this has been used for. I don't just mean weapons. Since when is Strucker capable of human enhancement?" Steve asked the group.

"Banner and I'll give it a once over before it goes back to Asgard. Is that cool with you?" Tony asked Thor, who gave Tony a nod.

"I mean, just a few days until the farewell party. You're staying, right?" Tony asked.

"Yes, yes, of course. A victory should be honored with revels!" Thor replied, a wide grin on his face.

"Yeah. Who doesn't love revels? Captain?" Stark turned to Steve.

"Hopefully this puts an end to the Chitauri and HYDRA, so, yes, revels," Steve replied. "And maybe a bath." He turned to Kratos, the blood drying over his armor.

"A bath would be desirable," Kratos replied, looking down at the stained fabric on his armor.

The armor.

Kratos' mind filled with questions about it. How did mere mortals repair such powerful armor? And the Nemean Cestus. Surely they didn't fix them on their own. Perhaps this Strucker they captured would have answers.

The Quinjet landed on the pad of Avengers Tower. Barton was the first to disembark, the doctors took him away to have his wounds tended. Maria Hill, now working for the Avengers after the S.H.I.E.L.D. collapse, greeted the returning heroes on the launch pad.

"Lab's all set up boss," she said to Tony.

"Uh, actually, he's the boss." Tony said, pointing to Steve, "I just pay for everything, and design everything and make everyone look cooler."

"Where is Strucker?" Kratos asked, an urgent tone in his voice.

"Who's this guy?" Maria asked, pointing at the blood-coated, pale, tattooed, bearded, six-foot-six-inch tall demi-god who was about to breach her personal space.

"New guy, he's intense but he's seriously just a big…" Tony paused, looking at the bloody armor, "...teddy bear." Tony returned his gaze to Maria with a forced smile.

"NATO's got him," Maria said to Kratos.

"Where?" Kratos pressed.

"That's classified, okay?" Maria asserted, becoming defensive.

"What about the enhanced?" Steve asked, trying to change the subject. Maria turned her eye contact from Kratos to Steve

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history…"

Kratos grew impatient and left the conversation, leaving for the party deck. He would have to find Strucker's location another way.

He passed by the infirmary, where Barton was being mended by Bruce, Natasha, and Doctor Cho.

"Spartan!" Thor called from the end of the hall. Kratos turned to him as he walked over.

"We did well today, Ghost. We have no doubt seen the last of those villains and their tamperings. The scepter is safe, and Strucker is defeated." Thor said, grabbing Kratos by the shoulders with both hands.

"One more threat to this world is defeated. But there are yet many more to face." Kratos said, recalling the black ships over Xandar.

"Then we shall face them in glorious battle and bring them to meet their ancestors," Thor replied enthusiastically. Kratos nodded solemnly.

"I must go. I have to clean my armor." Kratos said, releasing from Thor's grasp and continuing his walk down the hall.

"Of course. Will you be present for the feast on Saturday?"

"I do not know."

Kratos entered his quarters, where Mimir was waiting.

"Oh, thank god, you're here. They put me in here without even a TV remote and - you got a wardrobe change, I see."

Kratos closed the door and began to take off the armor. The left pauldron hit the floor with a thud, followed by the right.

"Might I ask where you got that? That's emitting a lot of energy."

"It was once mine, from many years ago when I replaced Ares as the God of War. I'm not sure how the mortals acquired it."

"Wait, aren't those…?" Mimir said, eyeing the Blades.

"They are," Kratos replied, the chest plate hitting the floor at his feet.

"I remember what you said when you threw them into the ocean. 'Never again shall I take up these blades for any. Reason. Ever,'" Mimir spoke in a gruff angsty impression of Kratos' voice. "I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like that."

"I know, but things have changed. Thanos is coming for the infinity stones. We need every advantage."

"I suppose."

Kratos sat down on his bed and sighed.

"I still see her."

"Who, Athena?"

"Yes."

"Who gave the gods permission to join the astral plane anyway? Look what they do with their time! Shout demoralizing words through the void at people. You'd think she'd have something better to do."

"Clearly she does not."

"Well, you know I'm always here for you, brother. You're not weak for letting her get to you. We'll figure it out." Mimir gave a weak smile. Kratos stood up from the bed and walked to the shower.

"Thank you, head, but I'm not sure what words will do, she's in my head now. She may never leave."

"Well, whatever she accuses you of, we'll keep proving her wrong then."

"Yes. We shall try."

/

Natasha sat in front of her computer. She never had an easy time learning to trust anybody. She couldn't help but feel uneasy with this new addition to the group. She learned the signs of a bad person quickly in her line of work, and this Kratos was oozing with 'bad guy' signs. She still had access to the old S.H.I.E.L.D. database, even with the collapse of the organization. She logged in, opened up the "superhuman" database, and searched for Kratos. His file popped up:

**Kratos**

Aliases:

The Ghost of Sparta

White Warrior

The God of War

The Servant of Ares

The Champion of Ares

The Slave of the Gods

The Fist of Ares

The Marked Warrior

Oathbreaker

Spartan

The Slayer of Gods

Destroyer of Worlds

Champion of the Gods

Sinker of Atlantis

Slayer of Ares

Killer of Argos

Cursed Mortal

Bastard Child of Zeus

Fallen God

Murderer of Gaia

Son of Zeus

Godslayer

Natasha continued to read Kratos' file, the myths and legends laid out in detail. The death of the Olympians, the destruction of the Colossus of Rhodes, the death of Zeus, the destruction of Mount Olympus. She was so enveloped in his profile that she didn't notice Kratos enter the room.

"Find what you were looking for?" Kratos asked, surprising Natasha. Her quick reflexes instinctively reached for her pistol beside her desk. Kratos was wearing simple gym clothes, shorts, shoes, and a t-shirt. No blades, no gauntlets, no armor. Natasha lowered her aim slightly.

"It's a lot to take in. You've been around the block, haven't you?" Natasha noticed, scrolling through the pages of information.

"I thought I was doing a good job of hiding. I guess I was wrong. They knew everything about me."

"You have a lot of bad history, Kratos. Seems to me like Thor may have been right not to trust you."

"He was. There was a time when I was young, brash, out of control. I did many things and killed many people, most of them for personal gain. If your death is what concerns you, or the death of the others, then worry not. You haven't done anything deserving of it."

"I don't know about that, I've done some pretty nasty things, some for me, some for others, all of them dirty. I'm trying to make it right, working for these guys, working for S.H.I.E.L.D., or at least I was until they collapsed."

"Then you understand the search for reconciliation. I too search for it. It is...hard to find."

"It really is."

"Maybe we shall find it together."

"Here's hoping, big guy. Hopefully, we can both prove that our personnel files aren't what define us."

"I require a favor of you."

"What is it?"

"I need to know the location of Strucker. Your access to the S.H.I.E.L.D. database may allow you knowledge of his location."

"What's the magic word?" Natasha asked with a shit-eating grin.

"...what?"

"What. Is. The magic word?"

"I am not a child, Natasha."

"Well, then use your manners."

Kratos felt every muscle in his face work against him. "P-pl-please…"

"There. Was that so hard?" Natasha asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Kratos looked away. "yes..."

Natasha began to open a window, pull up a search tab and typed the name 'Strucker' into the database. Kratos stood and waited as she worked.

"Got him, he's being held at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, in the main detention facility. Why do you want to see him?"

"He may have knowledge beyond his grasp. I want to know how." Kratos explained as he headed for the door.

"That sounds extremely vague. Well, don't tell anybody I helped you when you get caught."

"Hmmf."

/

The Quinjet landed on the tarmac of Camp Bondsteel, greeted by several armed marines.

"Halt! Advance one, and be identified!" One Staff Sergeant called out to the jet as the rear door opened. There was a discomfort in the air as the large pale man walked off the jet, wearing a cheap business suit and tie.

"I'm here on behalf of the CIA" Kratos replied, demonstrating a false ID. The staff sergeant approached Kratos and looked at the ID closely.

"We weren't made aware of the CIA coming in today, Mr...Smith."

"Things have changed. I'm here for the Hydra prisoner." Kratos said as he barged past the staff sergeant.

"Hey, wait! There's a protocol to all this! If you haven't scheduled a landing, then you can't just show up and expect us to let you in." The sergeant said, raising his rifle. The other soldiers looked at each other.

"It is not my problem that you and your superiors are incompetent, now let me see Strucker and all will be forgiven." Kratos said as he continued to walk away from the tarmac."

"I'm sorry, sir." The sergeant said, pulling the charging handle on his rifle. The other soldiers followed suit. "I can't just let you walk in."

"Very well…" Kratos said, still walking away.

"Hey, halt! We will open fire if you don't stop!"

Kratos kept walking.

"Get on the ground, now!."

Kratos ignored them.

"Shoot that fucker!"

The bullets impacted Kratos' skin, stinging and bouncing off. Kratos kept walking. A siren began to sound as the base sprang to life.

"Jarvis, where is the main detention facility?" Kratos asked through his headpiece.

"Head straight, then turn left at the next intersection on the road."

Kratos started running. He could see soldiers amassing in the distance. No need for casualties if he could avoid it.

"Turn left." Jarvis directed.

Kratos turned left down the road. Some Air Force officers walking down the street looked very confused as they got out of Kratos' way. A large concrete building with barred windows lining the walls came into view.

"Is that it?" Kratos asked.

"Yes, sir."

Kratos kicked the door in, severely startling the Military Policeman, no less than 20 years old, sitting at the reception desk. Kratos barged towards the corporal, grabbing him by the collar with one hand and lifting him off the ground.

"Where is Strucker?!" Kratos asked, scowling at the small MP.

"Oh Jesus! Uh...I'll have to look, just don't kill me, man!" The MP replied, his legs dangling in the air. Kratos put him down and nodded his head towards the computer on the reception desk. There was the sound of helicopters flying overhead as the sirens continued. The MP clicked and typed.

"Should have been a fuckin' cook...okay, he's in cell D4, now please, just let me go!" The MP begged the monstrous demigod.

"You will give away my position if I let you go…" Kratos said in a whisper as he approached the terrified 20-year-old.

"Oh god, oh Jesus…" The MP whimpered, rocking back and forth in his chair.

/

Strucker was standing at his cell's window, looking down at the troops and helicopters as they scoured the base for something. Perhaps his comrades had found him and were mounting a rescue. The door to his cell banged. Strucker turned to see a ghostly hand rip the door open.

"You…" Strucker said, backing away from the door.

"HOW DID YOU REFORGE MY ARMOR?!" Kratos roared, quickly closing the distance between him and Strucker.

"Wh- What armor?! I don't know what you're talking about!" Strucker said as his back hit the wall.

"YOU KNOW WELL! NOW TELL ME HOW YOU REFORGED IT!" Kratos yelled as he took Strucker's neck and pushed him to the ground, pinning him underneath his weight.

"Who are you?!" Strucker screamed.

"I am the god of war! My armor was found in your base. It was shattered and now it is whole. You have something to do with it." Kratos pressed his knee on Strucker's ribs, causing him to groan in pain.

"The Ares armor? Rggh! We found the pieces emitting energy underneath a building in Rhodes! We dug it up and brought it back for research, and used the Ring of Hephaestus to put the armor back together. Urgh, get off!"

/

"Come on! He went in here!" The staff sergeant yelled as he directed his section into the detention building. They poured into the reception area and saw the MP, tied to the chair by the laces of his boots, his beret stuffed in his mouth.

"Where did he go?" The sergeant asked the restrained MP.

"Heef wen foo hee for!" The MP mumbled, his beret flapping up and down in his mouth as he tried to speak. The staff sergeant rolled his eyes and pulled the beret from the MP's mouth.

"He went to D4!"

"Cell D4, go, go, go!"

/

"The Ring of Hephaestus remained on Olympus when I slew its owner. No mortal can reach the fortress of Olympus. Not without help from the gods themselves…" Kratos said as his knee pressed harder on Strucker's ribs. The sound of soldiers could be heard charging through the halls outside of the cell.

"URRngh! When we brought the armor back, a woman in weird armor appeared in my room while I slept, offering me the Ring and the lion gauntlets in return for repairing the Ares Armor! She said she would bring more artifacts to experiment on if we did it! That's all I know, I swear!"

The soldiers were close now.

"He's in there, weapons free!"

Kratos picked himself off of Strucker, much to the Baron's relief. He kicked a hole in the wall, the concrete and steel falling 4 stories to the ground outside. He jumped down as the soldiers barged into the cell. He landed with a roll then ran for the Jet.

The helicopters in the air caught sight of Kratos and began to strafe his position. He darted left, avoiding the path of the bullets.

"Get back!" The guard guarding the Quinjet ordered as Kratos approached. Kratos grabbed the guard's rifle out of his hands and lightly shoved the buttstock into his face, knocking him out. An M1 Abrams appeared down the road, shooting a round directly at Kratos. Kratos took his fist and aimed it into the path of the missile. The round crumpled into Krato's fist, lighting the fuse, and igniting the explosive charge inside. The staff sergeant looked from Strucker's broken cell window as the explosion from the round engulfed the intruder, then dissipated. Kratos was still standing, his fist blackened but otherwise unhurt.

"Who is this guy?!" the sergeant asked no one in particular.

Kratos rubbed the carbon off his fist and entered the Quinjet.

"Jarvis, take me home."

"At once, sir. Please fasten your seatbelt for evasive maneuvers."

The jet lurched upward and shot off into the sky, quickly outrunning the jets scrambled to intercept it.

"What did you discover?" Jarvis asked.

"That there is an Olympian out there who yet lives. What this bodes, I do not know."

"Nothing good, I'm sure."

"Likely not."


	8. Magic and Machine

**8**

**Magic and Machine**

Tony stood, arms crossed on the launch pad of Avengers Tower and waited as the Quinjet landed. Kratos hopped off and walked past Tony.

"You gonna be stealing the jet often?" Tony asked.

"No."

"Raiding NATO bases isn't exactly what we do here, you know that."

"No one died. I walked in. I walked out."

"That's not the point. You were all over the news. 'Pale dude punches a bunch of 'murican soldiers'." Tony waved his hand through the air as if reading a headline. "We can't be sending mixed messages to the public. We don't need people confused about who the good guys are. Are we heroes, or are we people that beat up NATO prisoners and invade military property?"

"Your rules are limiting. Live as long as I have, and then tell me you have the patience for bureaucracy."

Tony shrugged and looked to the sky.

"Just sign out the damn plane before you take it for a joy ride, huh?"

"...Humf."

/

"But it's a trick!" Barton exclaimed, looking at Mjolnir as it sat on the table.

Saturday night. The party had calmed down, and the only people left on the party deck were the avengers themselves and their coworkers, War Machine, Maria and some doctors.

"Oh no, it's much more than that," Thor replied, finishing the last glass of his Asgardian ale.

"'Whosoever shall be worthy shall haveth the power!' Whatever, man, it's a trick!"

"Well, please be my guest." Thor pointed his open palm to Mjolnir, still innocently sitting on the table.

"Oh, this is gonna be beautiful." War Machine stated as he leaned back into the couch.

"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Tony joked.

The group chuckled as Barton hovered over the hammer. He grabbed ahold of Mjolnir's handle and pulled, giving out a loud grunt.

"I still don't know how you do it!" Clint said, laughing as he backed off from Mjolnir.

"Smell the silent judgment?" Tony asked.

"Please, Stark, by all means," Barton replied. The onlookers cheered and laughed as Tony got up from his seat on the couch.

"Never been one to shrink from an honest challenge. It's physics. "

"Physics!" Bruce repeated to the group sarcastically.

"Right, so if I lift it, I then rule Asgard?" Tony turned to Thor as he wrapped the hammer's strap around his forearm.

"Yes, of course," Thor replied dismissively.

"I _will _be reinstituting Prima Nocta," Tony replied as he yanked on the handle, to no avail.

"Be right back," Tony said as he left the room.

/

Tony pulled with his armored hand, jets firing, still nothing. James grabbed his gauntlet from the War Machine armor and joined in. The hammer remained motionless.

"Are you even pulling?" James asked.

"Are you on my team?" Tony replied.

"Just represent. Pull!"

They grunted and groaned but the hammer remained unmoved, and Thor just sat and sipped his drink, grinning smugly.

"Perhaps you could lift the table instead of the hammer." Kratos hypothesized.

"If you would like to try, Socrates, then go right ahead," Tony said, letting go of the hammer. Kratos approached the table, grabbed it with both hands and pulled. The table began to crack in half but didn't lift off the ground.

"Hey, don't break the nice table!" Clint laughed. Kratos let go of the table and grabbed the handle of the hammer.

_Don't even try. Not even close to worthy._

"Don't ruin my night, Athena," Kratos whispered.

"What was that?" Tony asked.

"Nothing." Kratos pulled at the handle, causing the floor to groan and buckle underneath his feet. The hammer still didn't move. Kratos stopped once cracks started forming in the floor where he stood.

"It's not a measure of strength, it's a measure of Mjolnir choosing you, so be kind to the floor, Spartan." Thor laughed. Tony inspected the cracks in the floor where Kratos stood.

"Perhaps the Green One," Kratos said, looking at Bruce.

"Hey, no more strong people, I don't need any more footprints in my floor!" Tony argued

"Me? I mean, ok…" Bruce approached the hammer, got on the table, took it in both hands and pulled. His grunts turned to screams as he let go and raised his arms to the ceiling. The room fell silent as the Hulk didn't show himself. Bruce awkwardly sat back down.

Thor took another sip. Steve looked around, then got up to try his own mettle. He rolled up his sleeves as the others looked on.

"Come on, Cap," Tony called out.

Steve took the hammer with both hands and pulled. Mjolnir lifted off the table a few millimeters for just a split moment. Thor's face turned from smugness to confusion to concern. Steve continued to pull, but the hammer failed to move again. Thor sighed with relief and Steve backed off from the magic hammer.

"Ok, so how does the building not crumble beneath its weight?" Mimir asked, sitting by Kratos on a side table.

"Maybe it's a friction thing. Maybe it's got infinite friction, so it doesn't crush the building, it's just stuck to the table." Tony guessed.

"But then how does the table not move when you pick up Mjolnir if the hammer is 'stuck' to it?" Kratos asked. The group shrugged and all groaned '_yeaaah'_ together. Thor giggled and took another sip.

Everyone turned to Natasha, raising their eyebrows and pointing to the hammer.

"Oh, no that's not a question I need answered." Natasha replied to the group.

"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged," Tony said, grabbing another beer.

"Bet your ass!" Clint said, patting Tony on the shoulder.

"Steve, Clint said a bad-language word." Maria joked.

Steve sighed and looked to Tony. "You tell everybody about that?"

"The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation?" Tony asserted.

"Yes well that's uh…" Thor said as he got up from his seat. "That's a very interesting theory. I have a simpler one."

Thor grabbed Mjolnir with one hand, picked it up with ease and gave it a flip through the air. "You're all not worthy."

_See? But you already knew you weren't…_

Kratos winced with frustration as the voice pestered him. Mimir looked over.

"Hey," Mimir whispered, "All good?"

Kratos waved his hand "It is fine."

The group jeered in disagreement as Thor flipped his hammer through the air, boos and groans abound.

Suddenly, a loud high pitched ring interrupted the party, forcing everyone to cover their ears, of course, except for Mimir. Then, from behind them, the sound of metallic feet could be heard unevenly trudging in their direction.

"Worthy...how could you be worthy?"

One of Tony's Iron Legionnaires, broken and leaking oil, looking much like a robotic zombie, turned to face them all.

"You're all killers." The robot declared, waving his mangled arm at the Avengers.

"Stark?" Steve said to Tony.

"Jarvis?" Tony called out, eyes never losing sight of the shuffling Legionnaire. Kratos' fists tensed.

"Sorry, I was asleep...or...I was a...dream…" The robot shook its head, as if in confusion.

"Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we have a buggy suit," Tony spoke into his work pad, tapping the screen.

"There was a terrible noise, and I was tangled in...in...strings," The robot said as it tried to keep its balance on its melted and half-deconstructed legs. "Had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy..."

"You killed someone?" Steve asked, just as tense as the rest of the team as they stared down this crazed machine.

"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."

"Who sent you?" Thor asked. The machine cocked its head to one side and played a recording:

"_I see a suit of armor around the world." _The recording played back Tony's conversation.

"Ultron…" Banner exclaimed.

"In the flesh. Or, no...not yet-"

"You created this machine, Stark?" Kratos asked, picking up Mimir and attaching him to his belt.

"Yeah, sorry, long story, not really the time," Tony replied, everyone slowly readying themselves for whatever came next.

"I'm on a mission, see..." Ultron continued.

"What mission? Natasha asked.

The machine turned to her. "Peace in our time."

Immediately after speaking those words, the walls exploded in a blast of splinters as Iron Legionnaires came pouring through the wall.

Kratos braced as a machine tried to ram him. When the machine hit his body, Kratos absorved its momentum. He quickly ripped it's head off, throwing the metal body at another legionnaire as it blasted James out the window. Another machine came for Kratos, this one using its hand blasters. Kratos dodged the blasts, ripped a metal railing away from the stairs and plunged the railing into the machine's neck.

"We are here to help. We...arrrrrrrre..." The machine sputtered as it shut down. Kratos Spartan-kicked the machine's corpse into the wall, blasting it apart.

"Brother, behind you!" Mimir called. Kratos turned, grabbed the oncoming machine and ripped it in half from head to legs. He jumped and grabbed a flying legionnaire by the foot, pulling it in and kicking it back into the ground, smashing it into the floor.

"Goddammit, why always the floor…" Tony lamented as he looked over. He jumped onto a Legionnaire's back and tried to shut it down.

"Stark!"

"One sec! One sec!" He replied as he poked and prodded the machine's circuitry.

"We are here to help. We are he-" One legionnaire repeated as Kratos had it in a sleeper hold.

"Shut…" Kratos grunted. He tugged lightly and the machine's head snapped off.

"...up."

Steve threw his shield across the room, smashing the last machine. All that remained was the broken robot that Ultron was possessing.

"Well…that was dramatic," Ultron stated, "I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?"

The broken Ultron picked up the head of a defeated Legionnaire.

"With these?" He continued. "These puppets? There's only-"

A desk flew through the room into Ultron, ripping it apart entirely. Everybody turned to Kratos.

"It talks too much." Said Kratos, giving his neck a crack.

"I was gonna do that…" Thor grumbled.

"He steal your thunder, Thor?" Banner said, coming out from behind the bar.

"That's not funny." both Thor and Kratos exclaimed at the same time.

Kratos walked up to the machine.

"I had strings, but now I'm-"

Kratos put his foot through the Ultron's head, silencing its singing.

"This machine sings poorly..." Kratos stated.

**18**

**The Witch's Vision**

"I don't know why we even repair this tower, every time we fix it up, zwoom! Another baddy breaks it all back down."

Tony looked around his demolished party deck. The crushed Legionnaires, the broken wall, the destroyed lab gear.

"Stark!" Thor called out, "The scepter is missing!"

"Shit...don't tell me one of the bots flew off with it," Tony said to himself.

"That's not all he took," Bruce said, walking up to Tony. "All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch."

"He's been in everything." Natasha added, "Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other."

"The internet?" Mimir said nervously. "That means he has access to…"

"Anything. That includes nuclear codes." Maria mentioned.

"This machine. It is your creation?" Kratos asked, inspecting the broken machinery on the floor.

"He was the A.I. that was gonna direct the Iron Legion. Make our lives easier, keep the places we can't always be safe." Tony explained.

"He has NOT made our lives easier…" Kratos grumbled.

"Stark, your A.I. said it killed someone," Clint mentioned.

"But there wasn't anybody else in the building," Maria replied.

"Yes, there was…" Tony said as he turned on the Jarvis interface. What remained of Jarvis was represented as a hologram of a broken and glitching code, incomplete and beyond repair.

"This is insane…" Bruce said, stressfully stroking his face with his hand.

"It has destroyed the tower, destroyed Jarvis.." Kratos listed.

"And it has taken the scepter!" Thor exclaimed angrily, walking up to Tony until they were face to face. "Now we must find it, again!"

"But why did it go wrong? Why is Ultron trying to kill us?" Dr. Cho said, working on James' wounds.

Tony began to laugh but stopped when he looked at Kratos' scowling face.

"What...did you do...Stark? Kratos demanded.

"We...used the scepter tech to help us create Ultron…" Banner stepped in before sitting down in a ripped couch, "We used the energy to increase the processing power, intelligence..."

"That was foolish. There are consequences to using godly weapons improperly." Kratos said to Tony.

"Don't talk down to me, okay? There's, what, seven of us? We can't be everywhere at once. We need something else to be there when we can't." Tony said in his own defense.

"Tony, maybe right now isn't the time to argue that this was a good thing…" Bruce said timidly.

"Bruce, back me up here, you agreed Ultron was a good idea!"

"It was a good idea until it became a murder bot…"

"We DIDN'T...create a murder bot. We weren't even close, we didn't even have an interface…"

"The machine is alive now. Clearly, you were close." Kratos said curtly.

"Anybody remember the wormhole, the alien invasion?" Tony asked the group.

The team stayed silent. Kratos and Thor nodded.

"Ok good, so the two of you do at least. A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We were standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the livelong day, but that up there? That's...that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?"

"Together" Steve confidently announced.

"We'll lose," Tony argued.

"Then we'll do that together too."

"Stark is correct, what awaits us in the void is powerful and inevitable. We will need an army and a plan to defeat it..." Kratos said to Steve. He then turned to Tony "But you, Stark, have tampered with technology beyond your grasp, and your haste for victory has cost us."

"Ultron is out there somewhere," Steve interrupted. "Let's bite this problem in the butt before it gets any bigger. We'll worry about the existential threat from space later."

"Let's find the metal bastard," Clint exclaimed.

"Does 'bite it in the butt' count as naughty words?" Tony asked no one in particular as the team dispersed to begin the search.

/

Kratos sat in his room, waiting for the call. The Blades sat beside him on the bed, the chains vibrating, begging for Kratos to pick them up. Kratos attached the last piece of his armor to his shoulder. He tested the mobility of the pauldrons. Once satisfied, he grabbed the blades. The chains instinctually wrapped themselves around his forearms like vines around a tree. He stared at them for a brief moment, then placed the blades on his back, the chains retracted and detached from his arms.

"You look troubled, brother." Mimir observed, "I mean, more so than usual."

Kratos sat, head lowered.

"I never told you…" Kratos began.

"What? Never told me what?"

"Thor told me...Atreus was alive in Asgard." Kratos said under his breath.

"Holy Gods, what?" Mimir exclaimed, his glowing eyes widened.

"For many years, I thought he was dead, disposed of by Odin. I learned he was alive and well...until some weeks ago."

"What do you mean, 'until'?"

"He died recently, protecting the 9 realms. But for millennia, he was alive. For millennia, I could have gone to found him and I did not. I could have done...anything...and I did not."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, but brother, you thought he was dead. All you would have been searching for was revenge if you went after him. Faye would have cut you in two if she saw you barge your way into Asgard, hacking and slashing."

"Yes. I'm sure she would have."

The two sat in solemn silence.

"...Sounds like a great video game plot, though."

Kratos raised his head. "Video game?"

"Nevermind. You probably don't even know what a video game is."

"I am not THAT out of touch, head. I know of the Pac Man, and...Pong."

There was a beep on the intercom.

"Kratos, we have a lead on Ultron. Launch bay in 5."

Kratos sighed, raised himself off his bed and departed for the launch bay, his godly armor thudding and jingling with each heavy step.

/

The Quinjet landed a safe distance from the target: a salvage yard off the African coast, the last place Ulysses Klaue, a black-market seller of vibranium, was seen. Likely a person Ultron would visit.

"Ok, it's a stealth mission until we find out what's in there," Steve said to the group.

"Do you guys think you'll need me?" Banner called after the team as they deployed from the jet.

"Stay there for now, until we call in a code green, okay?" Natasha replied. Banner gave a thumbs up, then plunked down in a seat and put his headphones on.

The team closed in on the yard where a ship was sitting dormant.

"Ok, the coast is surprisingly clear, Kratos, you have a hostile to your left," Steve said over the comms.

Kratos emerged from his position behind a sea can, moved left to intercept the nearby soldier and quickly snapped his neck. He looked to the deck of the ship in time to see Natasha slit another soldier's neck. Kratos heard a gasp and turned his head. A guard had spotted him, but before the soldier could load and ready his rifle, an arrow punctured his skull through his eye, killing him instantly. Kratos looked back to see Hawkeye waving to him from a tower of sea cans. He nodded back.

"Looks clear, folks. Let's see what all the hubbub is about." Tony said, swooping down and landing on the ship. The team split up and took separate entrances to the lower decks.

Kratos took the right flank with Widow. They entered the ship and approached the main cargo hold. Tony, Steve, and Thor were already inside, standing on a catwalk, talking with a large machine.

"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it." Thor's voice could be heard echoing through the empty hold.

"I think you're confusing peace with quiet." Ultron's voice could also be heard. Kratos and Natasha took cover and waited for the signal.

"Uh-huh, what's the vibranium for?" Tony asked the machine.

"I'm glad you asked that because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan." With that said, Ultron pulled Iron Man towards him using a magnetized beam, then shot him with an energy blast, knocking Tony into the wall behind him.

"I guess that's the signal!" Natasha yelled to Kratos. Kratos grabbed the blades from his back, felt the cold of the metal, then the heat of the flames. An iron legionnaire came flying towards Kratos. He swung the blades, slicing the machine in half effortlessly. He looked to Ultron, who was occupied brawling with Stark. Suddenly, gunfire erupted throughout the ship as the black marketeers came charging into the hold, firing at everything that moved. Kratos waited until Black Widow was out of his range, then unleashed.

The blades melted and sliced, carving up soldiers and walls alike. Any bullets that hit Kratos bounced off pathetically as the armor absorbed every hit without so much as a scratch. Kratos watched as his hands mindlessly did their dirty work. Like riding a bicycle, he quickly recalled his graceful choreography as the blades carved away at everything in their path. Soldiers screamed as cauterized legs were amputated, melted heads were thrown into the air and the walls began to glow red. The smell of burning bodies, soiled pants and carbon filled the air as Kratos cleared the hall. The last soldier alive dropped his rifle and sank to his knees, shivering uncontrollably and crying in a foreign language. Kratos approached the man, surrounded by his cleaved comrades, kneeling in a pool of his own bodily functions, hands clasped in prayer. Kratos stood over the whimpering man, sighed and swatted the man's head with a blade's pommel, knocking him out.

He turned back towards the battle behind him. He re-entered the cargo hold in time to see Pietro Mixomov rush towards Thor in a blur of silver. Thor threw his hammer, which Pietro tried to catch in mid-run. Maximov, upon wrapping his hands around the hammer, flew backward and crashed into some metal boxes. Pietro looked up, gasped and zoomed off as Kratos stood over him.

Kratos looked up and saw Ultron fly through the roof of the hold.

"The machine has retreated," Kratos announced through the comms.

"G-s- is-a-co-n?" Banner's voice could be heard cracking on the radio.

"Say again, Bruce?" Steve called out.

No response.

"Thor, status?"

Still nothing.

Kratos went in search of Thor's location. He entered a second-floor hallway, slicing open a soldier as he tried to open fire. He turned a corner, then suddenly a red mist covered his sight, just for a moment. He turned to face his attacker but saw nobody there. Just an empty hall, fighting and gunfire still ringing in the distance. He turned back, but what used to be the darkened halls of a rusting ship was now the halls of Asgard, golden and vast. He looked about the spacious halls. A vacant throne stood at the far end of the spacious room. He wandered into a nearby hallway, the walls decorated with braziers and weapons. In the first room he passed, he saw Freya, facing away from the entrance. Freya, the same woman that swore vengeance on him so many years ago. The mourning mother of Baldur. Behind her was another figure, but the figure was hidden behind a semi-transparent drape, and he couldn't make out who it was.

"The Godslayer yet lives on Midgard." Freya spoke to the figure, her voice angered, but echoey and faded, "Odin has grown complacent and lazy and will do nothing about it. I trust that you will use this information better than the Allfather ever could."

Kratos entered the room quietly. Could they see or hear him? Unsure, he kept silent but tried to get a better look at the figure behind the drapes.

"For years, we have yearned for this moment in time, my lady." The figure whispered, "You must only give me his location and we will dispatch him. He will never trouble you again." The other voice was familiar to Kratos but lost to his memory.

Kratos approached further, looking past Freya's shoulder. The figure…he recognized her now.

"Artemis..."

Freya's head swiveled on her body to face Kratos. Her eyes were purely white and her mouth was grinning wide.

"They will find you and kill you. You, and your friends!" Freya screamed, her voice echoing in Kratos' ears.

Kratos slashed the head off Freya's body, her neck steaming as it cauterized from the blade's heat. Freya's head continued to laugh and stare at Kratos as it bobbled on the floor.

Kratos looked up from the head at his surroundings. He was now in Strucker's cell. Strucker was on the ground, several of his body parts missing as he squirmed on the ground. The figure was standing over him.

"You let him take the armor? AND the blades?! Those were meant for ME!" Artemis' angered shrieks echoed through the cell as if the cell was a massive cave.

"Pwease! Iwm beggig yoouu!" Strucker screamed, his bloodied tongue lying on the ground beside him, his mouth spurting blood as he gurgled the words.

"You have failed me. No mortal fails me. Ever. Tell me where he is. Now." Artemis said as she chopped off another piece off the husk that was once Strucker.

"HEESSH ANG ABEDGER! ABEDGER TOWER! YOU FIND HIM DERE! PWEAAASHE!

"Avenger Tower? And where exactly might that be found?" Another slice of Strucker splattered against the floor. Strucker's screams echoed through the cell before he slowly became silent and hunched over, dead from the shock. Artemis sighed.

"Oh well, guess I'll have to Google it."

/

Kratos awoke in the infirmary, next to Bruce and some other members of the team. Many were unconscious, some were awake, but lying in a daze.

"Relax," Dr. Cho said, looking down at Kratos.

"I...I have to leave. Now." Kratos said as he rose from the bed.

"Woah, Woah, big guy, a witch just mind-melded with you, take it easy," Clint replied. He was sitting in a nearby chair, watching the news as footage of Hulk's witch-induced rampage was played for the masses. The headline read "Avengers: Heroes or Monsters?".

"You don't understand. We are all in danger. If I do not leave now-"

"We need to run some tests, make sure you're alright!" Dr. Cho said, failing to keep Kratos in his bed. Kratos easily pushed past Cho and staggered out of the infirmary.

"Don't make me chase after you, come back!" Clint called after him. Clint ran up alongside Kratos as he walked down the hall to his quarters.

"Buddy, you're not leaving. If you think it's the right thing to do, don't listen to it. The witch is screwing with your mind, man."

"Trick or not, I cannot risk your lives for a battle that is not yours to fight."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Barton took hold of Kratos' arm, but Kratos shook him off, sending Clint flying into the wall, creating a hole in the plaster.

"What's going on here?" Tony asked as he ran down the hall, responding to the noise.

"It's Kratos, he's gone wacky. The witch got to him!" Clint yelled back, trying to pull himself out of the hole in the wall.

"Casper, buddy, what did she show you?" Tony asked, following behind Kratos.

"My past is returning to destroy me. If I don't leave to face it, you may all be at risk."

"Risk is part of the job! Haven't you noticed that? Look, we need you right now. Ultron? Remember him? He's kind of a big deal. Can we worry about him first, then figure all this out after?"

"No."

"Come on, work with me here. Whatever it is, we'll fight it with you!"

"This fight is of my own creation. It falls to me alone to fight it."

"I'm not letting you!" Tony jerked his hands outwards, activating his suit. Pieces of his suit began to fly in from the lab through the halls towards Tony's outstretched body. Kratos turned and punched Tony in the nose before his full suit could arrive. Kratos then turned and walked away, leaving Iron Man on the floor, his suit flying in and forming around his unconscious body.

"Brother, you look...unwell," Mimir said as Kratos barged into his Quarters.

"I am leaving. We are all in danger if I stay." Kratos explained, walking to his armor's case.

"What? Danger? Here? No…" Mimir said sarcastically.

"You do not understand. The Olympians have found me."

Kratos opened the case, the armor was bloodied and crusty.

"The Olympians? Which ones?"

"Artemis."

"Well, take me with you, if you're going."

"No, head. Had I not taken the actions I had on Mount Olympus...all those years ago...I would not be in this circumstance. This is my burden, not yours."

Mimir sighed.

"Brother, we've been through a lot, you and me. From the time you happened to find me stuck in that cursed tree, to the battle with Baldur, to the wars for Jerusalem, to the fall of Xandar, I've stood beside you. Now...I've been sitting here in this boring room for 3 days now. Straight! I'm bored out of my skull! You're not going into one more fight without me watching your back."

Kratos paused from putting on his armor, then turned to Mimir.

"Very well. But if we die, do not complain."

"Yes, yes, now come on, mount up, you old war dog, let's fight us some Olympians!"

/

Kratos walked down the halls. Steve intercepted him and placed a hand on his chest plate.

"Move. Now." Kratos ordered.

"Kratos, you know the visions she gave us were to divide us, to split us up," Steve said.

"If the visions are false, then I will return. If they are true, then I will try to do so, regardless."

"If you don't, then you're leaving us all here to fight Ultron alone."

"I am sure you could defeat him without me."

Kratos shoved past Steve on his way to the launch pad.

"When I said we'd win or lose together, I meant it!" Steve called out to him. Kratos stopped walking.

"Then go and win, for you _are_ together," Kratos replied.

Kratos walked onto the launch pad. Tony caught up to him, still in his Iron Man suit, holding an ice pack to his nose.

"Chromedome, you stubborn, rude, GROUCHY old man!" Tony yelled, his voice nasally from the broken nose.

Kratos turned around, approached him and placed a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Trust that I will return. But do not try to stop me again." Kratos said.

Tony sighed, shook his head and walked to the nearby wall.

"I guess that's as close to an apology as I'll get." He said. Tony pressed a button on the wall. A large glass canister appeared from the floor.

"A couple upgrades for your armor. Mostly just so you don't steal the jet anymore. Gas ain't cheap."

Kratos opened the canister. Inside were several pieces of armor or different sizes. The pieces, once the canister opened, sprang to life and flew to attach to Kratos' armor. The larger piece attached to Kratos' back. There was a click, and metallic wings extended from the piece. The Blades fit perfectly in the sheaths built into the wing's chassis. The other pieces attached to his trapezoids, rows of missile pods popping out from them. Pieces attached to his legs and arms, becoming propulsion thrusters. The last piece attached itself around his neck, forming a gorget, which then expanded around Kratos' head and face. The familiar holographic HUD booted up before his eyes.

"Hello, Kratos. I am the Spartan Mk II helmet voice interface." The female voice announced in Kratos' ear.

Kratos looked at Tony.

"Thank you, Stark."

"Look, I get it. The visions, they affect you. They affected me. It's why I built the Iron legion in the first place. Hopefully, you figure out whatever it is you gotta figure out, then get right back here. Not like you're a prisoner. Go easy on the throttle 'till you have the aerodynamics figured out."

"This is not my first pair of wings, Stark."

"Say again?"

Kratos sprinted off the edge of the pad, wings outstretched. Kratos jumped and gracefully took to the sky.

"SWEEET MARY MOTHER OF GOOOOD!" Mimir cried as his head flapped in the wind, the ground beneath him shrinking as they gained altitude. "WHERE ARE WE GOING?!"

"We are going back to the beginning," Kratos replied.


	9. Olympus

**9**

**Olympus**

Kratos landed on the peak of the great mountain, scaring the nearby birds into flight.

Mytikas, the highest peak of Olympus. Or so the mortals thought.

"Seems a little barren for the 'great' home of the Olympians…" Mimir said, looking around the featureless rock.

"There is more here than can be seen with mortal eyes," Kratos replied. He stood still for a moment. The ground began to rumble, and a flash of bright light surrounded them. To anybody watching, they would have seen a beam of light appear from the sky above, then Kratos and Mimir would have disappeared without a trace.

The bright light cleared and Kratos looked up.

"The true peak of Olympus," Kratos stated. They were still standing in the same place as before, but the mountain stretched thousands of feet higher than it was earlier. The circumference of the mountain had also changed, seeming to stretch forever to the left and right of them. The blue, clear, open sky was now grey and overcast, the clouds moving abnormally fast above them.

"Pocket dimension?" Mimir asked.

"I never asked."

Kratos let his wings extend with a metallic clank, then took to the sky. The ground below them disappeared behind the clouds, then the clouds also grew small below them as they kept rising. The mountain seemed to climb forever as they flew upward through the fog, further and further.

"The air isn't as thin as I thought it would be!" Mimir yelled over the wind.

"Many things are different here." Kratos explained, the helmet amplifying his voice.

After several minutes of ascension, they finally reached the top, the crumbling structures of Olympus appearing through the fog. Kratos landed on a platform, its edges decorated with cracked columns. Kratos looked around the small platform.

_What will you do, father? You can no longer hide behind the skirts of Athena._

_Athena is dead because of the rage that consumes you, Kratos. What more will you destroy?_

_The hands of death could not defeat me. The sisters of fate could not hold me, and YOU will not see the end of this day. I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!_

Kratos stood still for a while, the once faded memories returning to him with fresh clarity.

"Brother, are you okay?" Mimir asked.

Kratos shook his head to regain his senses. "I am fine."

He moved his way towards the great palace that stood before him, the Pantheon-style dome cracked and collapsing. The statues of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades were tarnished and worn with millennia of neglect. Not even the architecture of Olympus was beyond the grasp of time.

"I would have loved to see this city before...well..." Mimir started.

"You would have not. The gods were manipulative, unstable, insidious, and opportunistic. You would not want to have met them."

"But look at this architecture! What it must have looked like-"

"It was also infested with monsters. You've never met a Centaur, have you?"

"Can't say I have."

"That. Is good."

The two reached the massive doors leading into the Temple's hall. The rusty hinges complained as Kratos opened the hulking doors. Dust and debris fell onto Kratos as stone rubbed against ancient stone. Behind the door lay the great gathering hall, the room where the twelve major gods came together for counsel. Kratos looked to Ares' throne. Swords, torches, and spears decorated its arm and backrests. He walked over and sat down, resting his chin in his hand.

They sat in silence for some time. Mimir waited for a moment, then looked around awkwardly.

"Brother...what are we doing?"

"We are waiting." Said Kratos, shifting in the seat, trying to get comfortable in the very uncomfortable throne.

"Yes, I see that, but...shouldn't we be trying to find Artemis?"

"She will find us. She is the goddess of the hunt. It is only a matter of time."

"So, why here?"

"It is away from the world. No one else will die for my mistakes. Here, the ground may crack, the sky may thunder, but the people below are safe."

"Huh…"

The two once again sat in silence.

"Head."

"What is it, brother?"

"On Xandar, you were unusually fervent in joining in the battle. What has brought about this change?"

"I told you, I'm just excited to fight some villains, that's all."

"You are lying."

"I don't know what-"

"You are not a fighter, head. You never were. There is something wrong."

Mimir sat in contemplation for a moment, then sighed heavily.

"It's just that...as the wisest man in the universe, I seem to have lost my touch."

"How so?"

"When I was vizier to Odin, I was the smartest man out there, you ask something about the 9 realms, I knew the answer! But the universe has grown so much larger and there is so much to learn...I'm getting old, brother...I can't remember anything as well as I used to. Hel, I couldn't even remember there was a sorcerer outpost in New York...I'm washed up. Whether it's the spell that's keeping me alive wearing off or whether I can still age, it doesn't seem to matter. Now, I'm just a head that tells stories no one cares about. It's time for me to die, brother, and I'd rather it be in battle so perhaps my soul might go somewhere nicer than Hel."

Kratos took Mimir from his belt and placed him on the armrest of the throne.

"You are correct." Kratos said.

"Oh, well okay-"

"I am not finished. You are correct. You are old, and slowing in your age...but so am I. My body is not as quick to heal or as fast to move as it once was. There was a time I brought Olympus to its knees. Now, I am not so sure I could do it again. Over the years, you have grown to be my friend, a rare thing for me to admit. There may be wiser and smarter creatures out there, but it was your knowledge that has saved me more times than I can count. If there was anyone I would want to die beside, it would be Mimir the wise."

Mimir's looked away, a small smile forming in the corners of his mouth.

"But the world is not finished with us, yet." Kratos continued. "We must continue to grow old and slow just a little longer. We must defeat Artemis, then continue our quest to defeat Thanos."

"Yeah...alright, let's end this then."

Another moment of awkward silence.

"Uh...how long do you think she'll take to find us?" Mimir asked.

"Hours, weeks, it depends."

"Great, so what are we to do for the next hours..._to_ _weeks_? I didn't exactly bring a book."

"You could tell me a story."

"Really? You? 'Jock culture' incarnate? Wanting me to tell a story?"

"Unless you would rather sit in silence."

"No, no, no, I'll indulge. Ahem! Let me tell you the one about Mordred, the incestuous traitor! It all began…"

/

The moon sat in the sky, full and bright as Avengers Tower sat quietly in the New York skyline. Clint recently went to bed, the hot evening forcing him to leave his window open. As he slept, a hawk entered his room through the open window. The bird landed and transformed into a woman. She was wearing an ancient Greek chiton, barely covering her body as the warm evening wind carried the fabrics. She looked down at the sleeping mortal, to the bow and arrows by his bed. She gave a little smile. It was always nice to see mortals still appreciating the old ways. She glided to the door, opened it quietly and moved into the halls.

The hallway was silent and dark, aside from the amber glow of the emergency exit signs. She moved her way past each door, reading the names. The Black Widow...The Hulk...odd names...The War Machine...The Ghost of Sparta. She tried the door, which was unlocked and partially open. She opened the door quietly and pulled the knife from her dress. Upon entering the room, she found no one inside. Confused, she walked over to the bed and looked into the opened case. She touched her hands to the case, feeling the dried blood chips and the sweat stains that lined the foam.

"Kratos…"

With a single touch, Artemis knew everything. Everything Kratos had touched, everywhere he'd stepped, everything he did in this room was made clear before her godly vision. He definitely had the armor, the Cestus, and the Blades, and he was running.

_"_Damn." She whispered, trying to find more evidence of where Kratos went.

"It's a warm night, but damn if you didn't take it a step further," a voice spoke from behind her. With godly reflexes, she turned, pulled the bow from her back, knocked an arrow and took aim.

"Guess they don't sell underwear where you come from, huh?" Hawkeye asked, his bow pulled on Artemis.

"Tell me where the Spartan went, mortal and I will let you keep your shooting fingers and your impudent tongue."

"Guess they don't teach you manners, either," Clint replied.

"Tell me where he went. Now."

"I'll tell you where to stick it instead, how 'bout that?. Now fly your shape-shifting ass out that window and we won't have a problem." Clint pointed to the window across the room.

"You will never fire first, I am the goddess of the hunt. The goddess of archery itself!"

"Doesn't matter. I've got cooler arrows."

Suddenly, a loud high pitched ring filled the room, overwhelming Artemis' enhanced hearing. She dropped the bow and covered her ears. As she did so, Clint shot the screaming arrow at an alarm button, sounding the intruder alert. Artemis recoiled, reformed into a hawk and crashed through the window. Clint knocked another arrow as Thor, clad in a bathrobe, crashed into the room.

"Who was it, Barton!?" Thor asked breathlessly, Mjolnir in hand, his robe tied a little too loosely in his haste to reach the action.

"Not too sure," Barton replied, trying not to look at Thor's poorly-covered extremities, "but I don't think she was here to get autographs."

/

Artemis landed in the nearby park and reformed into her woman form. As she did so, three figures appeared from the darkness of the poorly-lit park.

"Did you find him?" The large figure asked in a deep female voice.

"No, but I have his scent. He can run but he will not be able to hide forever."

"Does he still have the blades?" The male figure asked.

"I imagine so. It makes our quest more difficult, but the half-breed has aged substantially. I could smell it. He can't defeat all of us."

"Don't worry, we will win. I always win. We will have our revenge." Another female voice declared.

"Yes. We will," Artemis replied. She looked to the sky and sniffed the air. "He went northeast and was airborne. He's probably covered some distance by now. Let's move."

/

"Okay, I spy with my little eye, something that is gold," Mimir said.

"That statue," Kratos replied, pointing at the Hermes statue.

"Nope."

"THAT...statue," Kratos said with a hint of frustration as he pointed to the Hades statue.

"You got it."

"Very well...I observe with my weak and pathetic sight, something that belongs in the ocean."

"Come on, that's easy, it's the dolphins on Poseidon's throne."

"You are correct," Kratos said, quickly becoming bored of Mimir's game.

Suddenly the ground shook. Kratos stood from the throne. The dome cracked and crumbled as the foundation shook. A glowing figure crashed through the dome, dressed in full armor, a helmet and carrying a bow and quiver. She landed with a thud, cracking the floor below her.

"Artemis," Kratos called out.

"Traitor," Artemis replied snarkily. "You have picked a fine place for your death. Like father, like son."

"I have picked a place where no one else will die at our expense. This battle is ours alone."

"Is it?" Artemis asked smugly. The doors across the hall smashed open, sending stone and dust across the floor. From the dust appeared an enormous female, clad in heavy black armor and carrying a large frilled mace. Next to her was a smaller male, wearing purely white, heavily decorated armor, carrying a spear and a round hoplite shield. Behind them both was another female, wearing gold armor and wielding a double-handed sword.

"KRATOS!" The large black-armored female screamed. The massive goddess was three times the height of Kratos and twice the width. Each step she took towards him shook the very foundation of the temple.

"Bia." Kratos sighed. Bia, the goddess of force. Always competing with other gods over matters of strength, always the first to fight for Zeus, always the first to crush a village of heretics, always first to hunt down any enemies of Olympus.

"You took everything from me! I was to be the next God of War! You took my title, my position, my reason to exist! For this, you will die!" Bia yelled as she stomped across the hall.

"You were always so important." The white-armored male jeered. "'Ooh, look at me! I'm Kratos! I am prophesied to destroy Olympus! You basked in the spotlight of the attention while we were forced into obscurity, guarding Zeus' throne and doing his dirty work, like a lap dog!'"

Zelus, the god of jealousy and rivalry. Zeus' assassin. He killed dirty and rarely fought one-on-one in open combat.

"You've taken everything from us, Spartan! You killed Athena, my love..." The second female screamed, tears caused by her own words streaming down her face. "But this time, we will win. I will avenge her!"

Nike, the goddess of victory. Her martial skill was strong, but her pure luck in battle had made her arrogant.

"And then what will you do with your victory, Nike?" Kratos asked, "With your revenge complete, what will you make of yourself? You have let this anger fuel you for thousands of years. What else lives inside you?"

_Sounds familiar, doesn't it?_

Athena's voice whispered behind Kratos.

"Until you came along, the gods _did _have a purpose!" Artemis replied, "You took our purpose away when you destroyed Olympus. Our purpose, to rule over mortals, to be their guide! To mold them to our will! Now because of you, they don't fear us. They don't even believe in us! Because of you, Olympus is now just a mountain, and we are just relics of a dead religion."

"Then where were you when Olympus needed you? Perhaps Olympus would stand still, were you all were there to stop me." Kratos took the time talking to let the helmet take down some data on his enemies. Their weak points in their armor, their centers of gravity, the poison on Zelus' spear, the weight of Bia' mace.

"SHUT UP!" Bia roared.

"We were on a mission to save the Loom of Fate from your rampant destruction!" Nike explained.

"We were obeying the will of Zeus, like good sons and daughters, unlike you!" Zelus added.

"Revenge may be the only thing living inside us, but until you are dead, nothing else could." Artemis finished, pulling an arrow from her quiver.

"Then one way or another, I shall relieve you of your burden," Kratos replied, taking the blades from his back, the helmet assessing the threat levels of each opponent.

"Warning, largest target is the biggest threat, recommend avoiding direct combat." The helmet spoke into Kratos' ear.

"Too late," Kratos said to himself.

Bia roared and charged past the other Olympians, side-checking Kratos through the throne, turning it into powder as the two gods blasted through it. Mimir was tossed to the floor as the armrest he was sitting on was obliterated. Kratos, trapped by Bia's arms, continued to be pushed through the walls of the temple. Kratos took his blades and repeatedly stabbed both into Bia's shoulder armor. Bia Screamed, but kept pushing Kratos through wall after wall. Kratos stabbed her neck where the armor was weakest. Bia roared and she let go of him. The two rolled across the floor, then recovered and turned to each other. Bia grabbed her mace and began swinging wildly. Kratos dodged using the repulsors attached to his legs, but the mace hit the cold dull floor of Olympus, sending a shockwave through the air. Kratos was pushed back as the walls around them cracked from the force. He swung his blades at the massive Olympian, taking chunks of her armor away with each swing. Bia and Kratos danced around each other for a time. Kratos dodged Bia's earth-shaking attacks, making small potshots against her while Bia took every hit and kept coming, swinging the man-sized mace more violently with each passing moment.

"Warning, incoming projectiles." The helmet warned.

An arrow hit Kratos in the shoulder. He pulled the arrow from his arm and looked to the hole in the wall. The others had caught up with them. One Olympian is simple work, but four at once?

Zelus and Nike charged Kratos, but just as they were about to engage, Bia's mace slammed into the ground, sending Zelus and Nike into the walls and Kratos breaking through the ceiling into the air. As he was flung upwards, he took a moment to think. His wings activated, allowing him to stay above the battle for a moment.

"Helmet, give me a reason why I should not toss you away," Kratos grunted.

"The large target has poor situational awareness. Recommend using the environment and the targets against each other."

"Grant me access to the weapons systems."

"Yes, sir. Providing you with access to missile pods 1 and 2."

Kratos aimed himself back down to the fight. He propelled himself towards the ground, his blades pointing straight for Bia. Bia looked up, but it was too late. The HUD told Kratos where to aim to hit Bia dead on. Kratos rammed Bia into the ground and drove his blades deep into her Armor. The walls of the temple finally came down as the impact shook the whole mountain. Kratos continued to stab the blades into the Olympian's flesh, Bia's roars echoing across the mountain peaks.

"Warning."

Another arrow hit Kratos in the hamstring, throwing him off balance. Bia pressed the advantage and grabbed Kratos by the neck, lifting him off the ground. Kratos put away a blade and jerked his hand. The Nemean Cestus appeared on his hand in a puff of silver mist. He drove the Cestus into Bia's face, sending her flying through the ruins of the walls and knocking her off the mountain. The walls, having taken enough punishment, began to crumble, sending the roof down on the battle. Kratos shot a missile up at the roof as it fell for him, blowing away the chunks aimed for his head. The other gods weren't as lucky, having several tons of ceiling dropped on them.

"Dispensing anti-pain medication." The helmet announced. Kratos felt the helmet try to pierce his skin with some form of needle, but Kratos rolled his eyes as the needle broke in two on his tough skin. The pain from Artemis' arrow wound bothered him. He took the brief pause as the Olympians crawled their way out of the rubble to do some dynamic stretches. As Nike and Zelus emerged from the rubble, they stopped and stared as Kratos was doing arm circle warmups. They look at each other with confusion, then charged.

Kratos stopped and turned to face the Olympians, activating both Nemean Cestuses. He took aim at the charging enemies and fired 8 missiles. The missiles missed Nike as she dodged, but hit Zelus and Artemis dead on, covering them in a cloud of fire and smoke. Zelus and Artemis were tossed back, allowing Kratos to focus on Nike. Kratos scanned the room for her, but Nike was already on top of him and plunged her sword through Kratos' kidney. Kratos grunted in pain and punched Nike off of him with the Cestus, sending her flying into the air. He got up and began to pull the sword from his abdomen.

/

Mimir lay immobile on the floor, listening to the battle behind him. The ground shook as dust came falling from the temple walls and ceiling. The sound of missiles exploding and metal clanging, stones being crushed and arrows being shot. He had tried to roll himself over, but couldn't get enough momentum to do so.

"Well, the fight is still going on...that's good. Means he's still alive…" Mimir talked to himself, "This floor is kind of cold…"

/

"Warning"

An arrow shot through Kratos' hand as he tried to pull Nike's sword out of his abdomen. He recoiled his hand and tried to pull the arrow out, but before he could, another arrow went through the other hand. He turned to aim more missiles towards Artemis and fired. The rockets shot towards the huntress, forcing her to dodge and retreat. Kratos yanked the arrows out from each hand. Another arrow through his leg. Kratos turned to Artemis, who was darting about the room, barely distracted by the missiles. He took out his blades and activated his wings to charge her. Just as he began to charge, the massive hands of Bia grabbed his wings from behind and threw Kratos across the floor. As he rolled and tumbled towards the edge of the mountain, he launched a blade at Bia, stabbing through her leg and stopping him from falling off the edge. Bia grabbed the chain of the blade, pulled it out of her leg and swung Kratos around the room. She let go and flung Kratos into Zelus, who wasn't expecting Bia to throw anybody at him, let alone the God of Violence himself. Kratos flew into Zelus, sending them both over the edge of the mountain.

"DIe! Die! DIE!" Zelus screamed as he tried to stab his spear into Kratos. Zelus was never a skilled fighter, and it showed as Kratos dodged each stab. Kratos tried to aim Zelus at a cliff edge as they fell through the clouds. Zelus hit the cliff edge, letting go of his spear and cracking his armor on the rocks. The two gods continued to brawl as they fell all the way to the bottom, slamming into the River Styx. Without the gods to keep the river filled with souls, it was just an empty river at the bottom of a mountain. Kratos dragged himself out of the water, but Zelus grabbed his foot from the river and tried to pull him back in. Kratos turned and pulled on Zelus' arm, dragging him out of the river. Zelus tried to bat him off, whimpering and yelling, but Kratos' superior strength granted him the advantage. He took Zelus' head and plunged it into the water. Zelus struggled, bubbles pouring from his submerged mouth, trying in vain to reach behind him. Kratos pulled Zelus out of the water and pulled out a Cestus. Zelus screamed in despair as Kratos began to ram the Cestus into Zelus' face. With each punch, Zelus' screams grew quieter, his face flattening into a pool of blood, splintered bone and brain matter.

Kratos stood up from his work, watching Zelus' body evaporate into a squirming pile of venom and snakes. He let his wings out and flew back to the battle. Just as he reached the peak, Bia's giant hand grabbed him from out of the air and tossed him into the ground. Bia's fist rammed into Kratos' chest plate, driving him deeper into the broken floor. Bia sent another punch towards Kratos' chest, but Kratos blocked the blow, punching Bia's fist with a Cestus. Bia recoiled, clasping her fist in pain. Kratos rose and blocked Nike' blade just as it swung for his head. He shot a missile at Nike, the explosion launching her across the floor. Another arrow hit Kratos' shoulder as Artemis continued to fire from the far end of the room. Kratos aimed another missile, but Bia took Kratos by the arm and tossed him into a toppled column. Kratos got up, grabbed the massive column and threw it like a javelin at Artemis, hitting her in the chest and launching her towards a far-off temple on another part of the mountain. Another attack from Nike. Another swing from Bia's fist. Kratos was keeping up but was making no headway.

He dodged left and right, slowly learning his enemy's moves as they stabbed and danced around each other. Despite Kratos' efforts, his wounds were weighing on him, and Bia did manage to finally grab Kratos from behind and tackle him into a sleeper's hold. Kratos swung the Cestuses behind his head to try and get a hit in on Bia, but Nike took the advantage and stabbed her sword through Kratos' arm, impaling it through into the floor. Kratos roared as he struggled in the two god's unpleasant embrace. Artemis returned to the platform and approached the three wrestling gods. From her quiver, she took out a gold sword handle, glowing with blue energy.

"I...have waited so long for this...putrid half-breed…It's not the Blades of Chaos, but it will do." She said in between breaths. With a flick of her wrist, the gold handle emitted a wave of energy. The energy shot out from the handle and an enormous golden blade appeared from thin air. The blade was almost the length of Artemis herself, decorated with Olympian designs. The blue aura surrounding the blade pulsed and waned with the energy of all the gods of Olympus.

"I saved this just for this moment…do you remember THIS blade, Kratos? You should, you killed yourself with it," Artemis cackled, smiling with glee and madness, "Let me try again for you."

Kratos continued to struggle in Bia and Nike's grasp to no avail as Artemis approached with the ancient Blade of Olympus. The mountain began to crumble and quake underneath the forces of the wrestling gods, sending boulders and dust crashing down the side of Olympus. The floor began to crack and split as Kratos, Nike and Bia pushed in opposite directions, splitting the mountain apart.

"This is for Olympus," Artemis whispered in prayer.

Just as Artemis raised the blade to run Kratos through, a blinding beam of white light shot from the sky. A hooded figure leapt from the beam, running Artemis through with a massive double-handed sword. Artemis recoiled as she lowered her head to look at the blade sticking out of her stomach. The hooded figure put his foot to Artemis' back and pulled the blade from her body. Bia and Nike loosened their grip on Kratos, surprised by the new contender. Kratos heard a deep voice speak to him in the deepest part of his mind.

_Let the rage of Eternity fuel your blades, Kratos._

Bia and Nike screamed and scampered away as Kratos became too hot for the two gods to hold. Kratos rose, suddenly numb to his injuries, the floor melting around his feet as he stood up. The rocks around him began to lift off the ground and hover. The clouds began to swirl above him. His eyes glowed a pure white and the Blades of Chaos were wrapped in violet flame. The energy of the cosmos began to engulf Kratos as the veins in his skin started to glow white-hot. Bia and Nike began to back away from the raging warrior standing before them. Artemis turned from her fight with the hooded figure, Blade of Olympus in hand, and charged Kratos. When the two gods clashed, purple flame and blue energy split the clouds above and cracked the mountain below. The onlookers stood back from the heat and energy emitted.

Kratos' blades swung about him in a maelstrom of purple flame. Artemis was a skilled archer, but even with the Blade of Olympus providing her with a boost in power, her swordsmanship quickly proved inferior as Kratos slowly knocked her back.

"Help me, cowards!" Artemis called out as Bia and Nike looked on, watching their master quickly lose to the glowing Spartan. Bia regained her senses and charged towards the fight but stopped in shock as he watched Kratos grab the Blade of Olympus with his bare hands, rip it from Artemis' grasp, pull Artemis by the hair to the ground and begin to saw at her neck with his blades. Artemis screamed wildly as the sword plunged in and out of her neck, slowly severing her head from her body. Her legs and arms seized uncontrollably as her nervous system detached from her spine.

Kratos rose, smothered in blood, from his kill to face Bia. Kratos looked down and picked up the Blade of Olympus. Bia turned to Nike for help, but she was busy fighting the hooded stranger. Bia turned, roared one last desperate roar and charged. Her fist flew with godly force, but Kratos grabbed her fist with his open palm. Bia grunted in pain as Kratos punched upward into her forearm, breaking the bones. He stabbed a blade into her abdomen and used it to climb up to her neck. Bia screamed in pain and tried desperately to reach for Kratos to get the burning blades away from her, but it was too late. Kratos stabbed his blade into Bia's face, slicing it in half. He dropped down from Bia's head, the blade slicing all the way down as he fell. Bia's body stood for a moment once Kratos hit the ground. Her body then flopped in half, shaking the floor when the two massive pieces hit the ground. Her body sat for a moment, then exploded in a mushroom cloud of godly power, shaking the ground and sending more of the mountain falling down through the clouds.

"Athena..."

Nike's last words were soft and whimpering as the hooded figure swung their sword through her neck, cleanly decapitating the Olympian. Kratos returned to normal, the energy that surrounded him fell away as the pain of his injuries returned to his senses. The flames of the Blades of Olympus changed back from purple to red. He scanned the dead gods that surrounded him as he put his blades away. Artemis' body began to evaporate into vines and fruit tree branches, spreading from where she lay. Nike's body exploded in a burst of godly energy, leaving nothing but a burnt shadow on the floor. Kratos limped towards the hooded figure, who was busy wiping his blade on his cloak.

"Who are you?" Kratos asked.

The figure removed his hood. It was a man, his hair caked together in dreadlocks, his beard greying in the corners and his eyes orange and glowing.

"I am Heimdall," The figure stated. "I saw you in need of aid, so I came."

"This battle was not yours to aid," Kratos grumbled.

"You would have lost."

"It does not matter. If death is payment for my sins, then death is what I shall endure."

Heimdall stood and leaned on his sword.

"Spartan, I have seen you do many things. I have seen you kill and destroy. But I have also seen you protect; protect the people in your home, protect the people on Xandar, protect your friends from danger."

"It does not make up for my past deeds."

"Perhaps not, but I was not there to see those past deeds. When Freya was my queen, I obeyed her every whim and did nothing as she set her dogs on you. When she died at the hands of the dark elves, my vows died with her. Whatever man you were before, that man is beyond my sight. I saw your struggle. I came."

"Heimdall!" Mimir called from the distance.

"Mimir?" Heimdall called back, walking off into towards the source of the voice.

"Down here! Heimdall, It's been such a long time!" Mimir's voice came from the distant throne room, Kratos followed behind. The two found Mimir on the floor by the remains of Ares' throne.

"So it has. You seem to have lost some weight…" Heimdall said as he picked up Mimir from the floor.

"Long story. A more important question, what are you doing not guarding the Bifrost?"

Heimdall sighed.

"I was banished from Asgard, for 'negligence of duty'." Heimdall scoffed, handing Mimir over to Kratos. "No doubt the true reason was that I saw past Loki's disguise."

Kratos' eyes went wide with confusion.

"What…?"

"Oh my…" Mimir exclaimed.

"Loki has been disguised as Odin for quite some time, ruling Asgard in his place. I have tried to find the location of Odin, but have had no such luck."

"Loki yet lives?!" Kratos asked urgently.

"Of course."

Kratos looked down to Mimir. Mimir looked up to Kratos.

"What is the matter?" Heimdall asked.

"Take me to Asgard. Now." Kratos ordered.

"Without Hofund," Heimdall explained, "The gates to Asgard are closed to me. There is no way in or out of Asgard unless granted by Loki."

Kratos kicked an upturned piece of the floor in frustration, the stone exploding into dust.

"I must continue my search for Odin and bring order back to Asgard. If you have no further use of my blade?" Heimdall asked.

"No."

"Then I shall take my leave. It was good to see you, Mimir. May we meet next on better terms."

Heimdall looked past Kratos into the distance.

"Tend to your friends, Spartan. They require you." He said, still looking into the distance.

Heimdall looked to the sky, and a beam of white light engulfed him. The light disappeared and Heimdall was nowhere to be seen. Kratos looked up to see a shadow of an Asgardian vessel dart off into the darkness of the blackened sky. Where Heimdall stood, only a burnt circle of nordic patterns marked the ground.

"I wonder how he got to Olympus..." Mimir pondered.

"I do not care."

The ground shook beneath them, interrupting Mimir. Kratos looked around at the ruins of Olympus. The mountain was crumbling and shaking. The temples and palaces were cracked and the floor beneath him was obliterated.

"What now, brother?" Mimir asked.

"Return to Avenger Tower. I made a promise to return," Kratos replied, his eyes darting left and right, deciding his next move. Loki is alive. Asgard is blocked, with no leads on how to get there. The mountain began to lose its integrity. The battle had caused the entire thing to begin to crack and collapse.

"We must leave," Kratos stated, losing his balance on the crumbling mountain.

"I'm with you there," Mimir replied nervously.

Kratos tried to activate his wings, but one wing was bent out of place by Bia's grasp.

"What now?" Mimir asked.

Kratos felt the mountain give way under his feet.

"Hold on," Kratos said just before the floor collapsed beneath them, sending the two, as well as the rest of the disintegrating mountain, crumbling towards the ground thousands of feet below.


	10. The Battle of Sokovia

**10**

**The Battle of Sokovia**

Alec was tending to his flowers outside his shop. He lived a happy life in the town of Katerini, under the quiet watch of Olympus. Humming to himself, he didn't notice the hulking, limping, Ghost of Sparta approaching his mechanic shop until the heavy breathing was just behind him. He turned to face the bloodied, armor-clad man with shock and confusion.

"Wh- who…" He began to ask.

"Can you fix this?" Kratos asked, his ancient Greek was odd to Alec, but similar enough to modern Greek that the old man understood most of what he said. Kratos took the wing chassis off his back and presented it to Alec. Alec looked at the wings, then back to Kratos, still shocked by the sight of him.

"Uh...you look hurt. Are you okay?" Alec asked. He didn't know whether to call the ambulance or the cops. The man before him was armed to the teeth, armored and covered in blood, but was hurt and limping.

"I will be fine. Can you fix this?" Kratos asked again.

"Uh...um…"

"How long will it take?" Kratos asked, "It is urgent."

Alec looked at the wings. "I'm really not sure, I've never seen anything like this. Just...come in and sit down, you look ready to fall over."

Alec took Kratos into his shop, the employees inside stopping their work to watch the massive pale man limp into the waiting area. Alec hauled the wings into the car bay and gathered his crew in.

"Boss, who is that guy?" One employee asked.

"I'm not sure, he just walked up and asked me to fix this thing."

"What even _is_ it, a jet pack?"

"No idea. He hasn't hurt anybody yet, but who walks around carrying giant swords like that? The guy has a fucking head attached to his belt! Anybody want to weigh in on what to do here?"

"Cops." Another employee said sternly, looking over to Kratos.

"Ok, one vote for the cops. Anybody else?"

"Wait…" A voice said in the group, "I think that's…"

"What, Denis, you think you know the guy?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, I think that's a fucking Avenger!" Denis exclaimed, "He was on the news with Stark and the others. We have a goddamn Avenger on our doorstep!"

"Shit, well...uh...shit! Someone get the first aid kit and help him out."

"God damn vigilantes…" One voice mumbled under their breath. "Why help him?"

"He might save our ass one day, you ever think of that?"

"Or he might kill all of us. You see what's happened in Sokovia? In New York?"

"That's not their fault."

"Yes, it is. Thor is an alien, right? I bet if he didn't come to Earth, the aliens wouldn't have shown up at all."

"Or the aliens would've killed us all. We can't say. All I know is they saved our asses plenty enough for me to help one of them once. Now...anybody know how to fix a jet pack?"

"Looks like it just needs some dents popped, might not be that bad."

Kratos sat and let his wounds heal.

"I've never had an entire mountain fall on top of me before," Mimir commented.

"Nor I."

"You think you'll be ready for whatever is next?"

"I will be fine. It was just a mountain."

"Well, it looks like they're starting to work on your wings, anyway."

Kratos looked over at the mechanics as they stared at him. "Good."

/

Sokovia, once just a peaceful nation, trying to establish its own identity after the collapse of the U.S.S.R. Now, it was a meteor, rising above the earth, Ultron's weapon against all of mankind. The Avengers gathered and waited in a little church where the machinery keeping the city from crashing into the earth sat, waiting for Ultron to turn it off.

"Romanov, you and Banner better not be playing hide the zucchini," Tony said over the comms.

"Relax, shell-head," Natasha replied, "Not all of us can fly."

Tony looked on as Natasha plowed through a horde of Ultron's legionnaires in a snow truck, moving her way to the church. She pulled up and jumped out.

"What's the drill?" She asked.

"This," Tony replied, pointing to the spinning, metal object in the ground, "Is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose."

Hulk smashed a nearby legionnaire and entered the church with the rest of the team. In the distance, Ultron, alone, appeared before the Avengers.

"Is that the best you can do?!" Thor yelled across the ruined landscape of the city.

Ultron raised a single robotic eyebrow. He raised his hand, signaling hundreds, if not thousands of legionnaires to assemble behind him.

"You had to ask." Steve sighed, giving Thor a snarky look.

"_This_...is the best I can do," Ultron replied, "This is exactly what I wanted! All of you against all of me. How can you possibly hope to stop me?"

"ALL OF US?!" A roar came from above. Ultron looked up and saw the shadow of a winged man, wielding two blades, plummeting towards his army. Kratos slammed his blades into the ground, shooting up waves of flame and heat, melting dozens of legionnaires and blasting away dozens more.

"NOW...it is all of us," Kratos said, standing up from the carnage. "What is the situation, Stark?"

"Big robot use city as meteor to destroy earth. Defend church." Tony explained.

"Understood."

Hulk roared. The legionnaires charged the church, crashing into it like water on sand. Kratos fought his way through the metal tide into the church where the others were fending off Ultron's army. He slashed and diced, carving up legionnaires like soft butter. Hundreds fell before him, his blades spinning about him in a tornado of fire and metal. Compared to the Olympians, this was child's play.

The city eventually fell quiet. The sounds of clanking metal faded, replaced by the light winds of the thin atmosphere. All that remained was a battered Ultron, kneeling on the ground after being blasted by the Vision, Iron Man and Thor's attacks.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight-" Ultron said, trying to stand. Before he could complete his sentence, Hulk punched him into the sky. What remained of Ultron's forces began to retreat to the edges of the city, trying to save Ultron's data from destruction.

"They're trying to leave the city," Thor exclaimed.

"We can't let 'em, not even one," Tony stated. "Rhodey?"

"I'm on it." War Machine replied over the comms.

"We gotta move out," Steve said to the group in the church. "Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats, I'll sweep for stragglers, be right behind you."

"What about the core?" Clint asked.

"I'll protect it. It's my job." Scarlet Witch replied.

Kratos looked to her. He would have to talk with her later. He ran towards the edge to take flight but heard a distant crying out for help. He ran over to the sounds.

"Helmet. Find them."

"I'm detecting two life signs under that rubble. One is an infant."

Kratos ran up to the rubble and ripped it off the ground with one arm, tossing the concrete far into the distance.

"Come!" He ushered the woman and her child out from the rubble, but she pointed to her leg. It was broken and stuck underneath a metal girder.

"нога ми је сломљена, не могу да се померам!" The woman tried to hand Kratos her child, "спаси га, остави ме!"

Flashes of Freya and Atreus ran through his mind. He removed the rocks and metal holding her leg down and picked up the terrified woman and her child.

"Hold on."

Kratos ran with the woman to the edge of the city and jumped, flying off towards the helicarrier. The woman couldn't help but look down and scream in terror. Kratos landed on the deck of the helicarrier, waving at some medics for assistance. As he turned to return to the city, he watched as the entire thing began to plummet to the earth, faster than Stark's wings could carry him. He sighed and listened to the radio chatter.

"Thor, on my mark...now!"

Kratos watched as the cloud layer lit up with a massive blue explosion. The earth didn't shatter, there was no mushroom cloud.

"Job's done, boys and girls, the earth is saved yet again." Tony's relieved voice came over the radio.

Mimir gave out an audible sigh of relief. "Long week…"

"Yes...long week, but not finished," Kratos replied. He shambled towards the lifeboats to help move the civilians to the safety of the helicarrier's lower decks.

/

Wanda Maximov watched as they took the body of her brother away. Ultron's death brought her some solace, but it didn't fill the emptiness she now felt inside. She sat, staring into the abyss, trying to remember how to move, how to do anything. Kratos approached her and sat across from her in the lifeboat.

"I wanted to thank you," Kratos said after a moment of silence. Wanda didn't look up from her daze. She couldn't. Kratos looked over at the gurney, at Pietro's body, then back to her.

"If it wasn't for your visions, I may not have been prepared for the Olympians who sought me. Because of you, I was. Because of you, I now live to fight on. You may have saved my life, witch."

Wanda looked up, tears breaking through the dust and ash on her face. Kratos took her hand in his. He couldn't remember the last time he thanked anybody, and he certainly has never tried to console somebody. He breathed in and thought for a moment.

"Your brother died with honor, protecting his home from those that would destroy it. That is the path any warrior would want for himself. Be proud of him, and live every day with that same bravery he showed today. Earn his sacrifice."

Kratos let go of her hand.

"I will let you grieve." Kratos stood up and limped off. Wanda sat and contemplated the Avengers. She would strive to live every day protecting those she almost let die, to stop any other evil from fooling her again. Ever.

/

The new Avengers Facility. The new base of operations for the team. Complete with an artifact warehouse, enormous training facilities, jet pad, aircraft hangar, recreation park, and research and weapons development labs. It was a welcome upgrade from the broken and battered Stark Tower.

"The rules have changed," Steve said to Tony as they walked through the halls of the new facility.

"We're dealing with something new." Tony agreed.

"Well, The Vision is artificial intelligence," Steve replied.

"A machine." Said Tony.

"So it doesn't count." Steve continued.

"No, it's not like a person lifting the hammer," Tony commented. Thor, walking between the two, listened and grinned as they hypothesized.

"Right," Said steve, "Different rules for us."

"Nice guy, but artificial," Tony added.

"Thank you," Steve replied.

"If he can wield the hammer," Thor Interrupted, "he can keep the Mind Stone. It's safe with The Vision and these days, safe is in short supply."

The group stopped. Steve looked down to think. "But if you put the hammer in an elevator…"

"It would still go up," Tony added.

"Elevator's not worthy." Said Steve.

"I am going to miss these little talks of ours," Thor said, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder and shaking him jovially.

"Not if you don't leave," Tony stated.

Thor's face turned stern.

"I have no choice," He said, "The Mind Stone is the fourth of the Infinity Stones to show up in the last few years. That's not a coincidence-"

"It is not." Kratos said, walking up to the group, "Thor. I must speak with you urgently."

Thor gave Kratos a look of concern, then nodded. Tony and Steve waited as the two gods spoke privately.

"You should not go searching alone for the stones," Kratos warned.

"What do you know?" Thor asked.

"I know that there is one who also searches for the stones, and if you go alone, he will destroy you."

"I have not met many who could best me, Spartan."

"I bested you. He bested me. You will lose. Until we have the men to fight him, do not waste your efforts."

Thor looked into Kratos eyes and saw the gravity of his words. He gave a nod of understanding.

"Then I will go to Muspelheim. There is business there that needs tending to."

"Thor, I must go to Asgard," Kratos said.

"Why would you want to go there, the guards will try to kill you. You are still the Godslayer in their eyes." Thor said, a look of confusion on his face.

"Loki is alive. He is disguised as your father and reigns over Asgard as we speak."

Thor's face turned from confusion to relief, to frustration, to rage.

"That sniveling, wretched-" Thor looked up, "How are you aware of this?"

"Heimdall told him," Mimir said.

"Heimdall? Then where is my father?"

"Heimdall was in search of him when we met," Kratos said.

Thor paused and clenched his teeth, trying to contain his anger and confusion.

"I must see him, Thor. He is my son."

"Brother, I cannot take you to Asgard. The moment you took a step onto the rainbow bridge, they would try to kill you on sight, and you would no doubt defend yourself. Bringing you to Asgard would mean the death of untold numbers of my people. I cannot allow that."

"I do not care," Kratos replied coldly.

"I do. If my father is missing, then I must search for him. Loki can wait."

"I have waited two thousand years, Asgardian." Kratos said through his clenched teeth, "Do not deny me my son."

"Brother, I cannot take you to Asgard, but I can take Loki to you. When I have dealt with the business in Muspelheim, I will find him. I will...deal with his treachery...and I will bring him to Midgard under lock and chain. You can speak with him here. Know this...you will likely meet as enemies."

"Of this, I am fully aware," Kratos grumbled.

"Very well. I will return."

Thor raised Mjolnir to the sky. A beam of white light fell from space, engulfing him. When the light dissipated, all that remained in his place was a nordic pattern burnt into the grass.

"That man has _no_ regard for lawn maintenance." Tony sighed, "I'm gonna miss him though…"

Steve and Tony walked off towards the road, where Tony's car was waiting to pick him up. Kratos grumbled and sat on a nearby bench. Would Thor fulfill his promise, or fail him as so many other gods had? He took the risk to trust him, something he may live to regret. Atreus may be a trickster and a villain, but Faye would have wanted Kratos to try and change that. He watched as Tony's car drove down the road for the exit. Steve was approaching Kratos as he sat.

"Ghost, c'mon, let's meet the recruits," Steve said, waiting for Kratos to raise himself off the bench. Kratos got up, nodded to Steve, then followed behind to the jet hangar. They entered the building, running into Natasha as they entered. She was deep in thought, no doubt over the disappearance of Banner.

"You want to keep staring at the wall, or do you want to go to work?" Steve said jokingly. Natasha turned to see the two watching her.

"I mean, it's a pretty interesting wall." Steve continued.

"I thought you and Tony were still gazing into each other's eyes," Natasha said, walking up to Steve and reaching for the datapad in his hands. "How do we look?"

"Well, we're not the '27 Yankees…" Steve commented as he handed her the tablet. The screen displayed the list of recruits, their known powers, their ages, species, and other personal data.

"We've got some hitters." Natasha noticed.

"They're good, they're not a team."

"Let's beat them into shape. Ghost, you ready to show them a trick or two?"

"They will learn quickly or they will die; the Spartan way," Kratos announced. Steve looked back at Kratos with a look of worry on his face.

"I am...kidding," Kratos said.

"Oh my god, his first joke. Did you hear that?" Natasha said, smirking.

"I thought I'd never see the day," Steve said back, smirking.

The group reached the door at the end of the hall. Steve pushed the doors open and the three entered the hangar. The Vision, Hawk, War Machine and The Scarlet Witch were waiting on the hangar floor.

"Avengers! Steve announced. "Assemble!"

The recruits stood still for a moment, looked at each other awkwardly, then approached slightly closer to where Steve, Natasha, and Kratos were standing.

"Cheesy," Natasha whispered.

"Sounded cooler in my head," Steve whispered back.


	11. Strange

**11**

**Strange**

"Again."

Wanda sighed with frustration, wiped the dust from her armor and charged across the cracked floor. Kratos was waiting, the Nemean Cestus equipped. Maximov cast a red beam of energy, which Kratos easily dodged. The beam streaked across the room, warping a chunk of the far wall into a crushed heap of metal and concrete. She tried to follow Kratos' movement across the floor, but all she could see was a blur of red and grey. Her eyes widened as Kratos charged her. She put up a psionic shield and watched as the Cestus crashed against it. Her shield waned and broke, allowing Kratos' arm to reach her. Kratos pushed her to the ground with the Cestus. Wanda groaned with the impact. Her bruises ached and her ribs seemed determined to make her every breath sheer agony. Kratos stood over her. She closed her eyes as Kratos launched his fist towards her. As she waited for the inevitable impact, she felt a gust of wind press against her face. When she reopened her eyes, the metal surface of the Cestus' gauntlet was millimeters from hitting her nose.

"You are dead..._again_. What have I told you?! When you put your shield up, use it only as a method to counter-attack, not only for defense." Kratos grunted with disappointment. He unequipped a cestus and offered his hand to her. She pushed the hand away with a red blast, causing Kratos to stagger for a moment. Wanda pushed against the ground, blasting herself into the air on a cloud of red.

"Now, Vision!" Wanda yelled as she flew herself away from Kratos' reach. A yellow beam hit Kratos' helmet, causing the HUD to flicker. All Kratos could see was static.

"Warning." The helmet announced.

"I am aware!" Kratos grunted. He activated the missiles from his armor and fired in all directions while the HUD rebooted. He heard the rockets hit the walls and ceiling, then a grunt of pain, a clank of metal and a thud to the ground.

"Falcon!" Wanda yelled.

"It's okay, I'm fine, just keep the momentum!"

"Good, attack while I cannot see, to fight dirty is to survive!" Kratos said over the comms.

Kratos' HUD rebooted, just in time to catch Vision trying to land a punch. Kratos launched a Cestus at Vision's incoming fist. There was a crunch, and Visions' fist crumpled as it hit the gauntlet, followed by sparks as Vision's arm broke at the elbow. The broken pieces of the arm shattered and ripped off Vision's shoulder, sending shrapnel in all directions. Vision looked at the stump where his arm used to be, then back to Kratos, who had already thrown another blow. The punch sent Vision clear across the room into a pile of rubble, shooting dusk and rocks into the air.

"Okay, I think that's enough 'training' for one day." Steve's voice came over the intercom.

"They are not done!" Kratos yelled back. "Not yet."

"Just give us a moment to catch our breath!" Falcon groaned as he struggled to regain his footing, looking at the shrapnel embedded in his wing and his arm. Blood was already soaking his armor where the metal punctured his skin.

"Catch your breath?! Your enemies will not grant you such pause!" Kratos roared, pulling the Blade of Olympus from his belt. The blade appeared in a flash of blue from the hilt as he closed his hand around the handle. Kratos lunged at Falcon, closing the fifty-meter gap in milliseconds and slicing his left wing in half. Falcon winced as the cut wing glowed white-hot. Kratos gave him no time to react as he swung again. The blade barely missed as Falcon ducked and dodged, allowing his goggles to predict the directions of the blade, his expert acrobatics just barely keeping up with the massive weapon's movements. Falcon used what fuel remained in his jetpack to blast himself backward, pulling two SMGs from their holsters. Kratos tried to charge after him, but his feet were being held to the floor by Wanda's powers. Falcon took aim at Kratos and fired, his bullets bouncing off his armor without consequence.

"Falcon, if it didn't work once, it won't work this time." Vision muttered calmly over the comms, not looking away from his work as he used the energy beam from the stone in his forehead to solder his sparking arm socket.

"Look, all I have is a jetpack and guns, what does he expect out of us?!" Falcon replied.

"I expect you to learn! Clearly you have not!" Kratos replied.

"That's enough, Ghost!" Steve yelled over the speakers.

"And what will you all do when the might of the cosmos comes crashing down on you?!" Kratos roared. "Dodge and gripe?!"

Kratos' body began to glow with red fire. He ripped his feet free from Wanda's spell, then turned to face the tired and bruised Witch. She raised a weak shield against the charging god which immediately failed when he attacked. She fell back and hit the floor hard enough to knock the air out of her lungs. Kratos took a deep breath, trying to control his anger.

"Stop!" Falcon yelled, running up to Kratos. Kratos turned and held out his hands against Falcon's fists. He blocked the attack and pushed Falcon away with an open palm, shooting him across the floor and hitting his head against a rock. He turned to Vision, who was still sitting where he fell. Vision gave a shrug of dejection and shook his head.

"I'm done wasting my time, war god." Vision sighed.

Kratos looked around. The helmet displayed everyone's life signs. Wanda was stable, Falcon was unconscious but alive and in need of medical attention. His rage had finally fully left him, but his frustration remained.

"You all failed! For each one of you, your best advantage is flight, yet you do not use it. Use the environment to your advantage. Distract! Skirmish! Never charge in futile rage if you know your enemy can crush your skull! Witch, you have two hands to defend and attack with, so why do you only do one or the other?! And Vision…"

Kratos turned to the broken machine stuck in the rubble.

"You protect an infinity stone. Act like it. I promise the ones looking for it will not be as merciful as I was today."

Kratos left the training hall, leaving the others to drag themselves off the floor. The medical team ran past Kratos into the room to tend to the broken Avengers.

/

"You realize we need those three for a mission in two weeks, right?!" Steve argued across the desk to Kratos.

"Then perhaps you should recruit someone with healing powers," Kratos mumbled. "They won't learn, so they get hurt. They don't work as a team, they don't use their talents appropriately..."

"They can learn that without getting their arms crushed by a literal god," Steve sighed. "Do you know how much it costs to replace Vision's parts? I sure as heck don't."

"Whatever the cost, it is nothing compared to the tally this world will face when that stone is found."

"That can wait. We have things to worry about on Earth, and I need them ready for that."

"Then this world will burn, and its people will be crushed! All we have done will be for naught." Kratos said, his patience wearing thin.

"What makes you so confident we will fail?" Steve said.

"Because I have seen it!" Kratos yelled suddenly, smashing his fists into the desk and raising out of his chair. He looked down at the desk, the metal surface dented from his fists. He loosened his jaw and pulled his fists from the dents.

"With my own eyes." Kratos continued, trying to stay calm, leaning himself over the desk, looking straight into Steve's eyes.

Steve sat for a moment, processing Kratos' words.

"When?" Steve asked after a time.

"Years ago, after the attack on New York. I pursued the ones behind the attack. It led me to another world. That world was destroyed by the same soldiers we fought in New York. They were more capable and more ready than you are. They lost within hours. _You_ are not ready. What can we do with a witch, a winged man, and a machine? That stone on Vision's head is their quarry...and they are coming for it."

Steve leaned back into his chair and lowered his eyes.

"What do you suggest we do?"

"I do not know."

The two men were silent for some time, both looking down.

"Sounds like something we can't prepare for. Not right now, anyway. In the meantime, don't kill my recruits, and don't scare them off. We need everything we can get, if you're right."

Kratos scowled.

"Fine."

Kratos stood up from leaning on the desk and headed for the door.

"Ghost," Steve called after him.

"What."

"Next time I say to stop the training, it's not to be your boss. It's to prove to the recruits that we listen to each other; that we're a team. As a fellow soldier, you know how important that is."

Kratos huffed. Memories of his past returned to him. The mission for the Ambrosia.

_The Ambrosia slips away! I must go now._

_If you leave now, you leave us to die!_

_I...never asked you to come with me..._

Kratos looked away. Thoughts of the twisted faces of his fellow Spartans...

"Are you a loose cannon?" Steve continued. "Because right now, more than ever, we need the world to look at us and see heroes, not vigilantes. Question is...are you the man that beat Thor into the pavement in front of all of New York? Are you the man who raided an army base to interrogate a NATO prisoner? Are you a vigilante...or are you an Avenger? "

'_Avenger'...What have you ever truly done to deserve that title? Rescue one woman and her child? Chop up some robots? Do you think that makes up for everything? You don't fit in here. Selfish and uncaring, always running off to run your own errands, always going alone when they needed you. What Avenger are you?_

Kratos paused. Athena's voice pounding in his skull.

_You know I'm right._

"I don't know," Kratos said finally.

_That's right, disappoint another fellow soldier. Even after two thousand years, you are still a failure._

Kratos left the room, the door-closer hissing as the door sealed itself shut. Steve sat there, disheartened, unsure of what the future held. All he knew was to put one foot in front of the other, just like he always had. Just like those ruck marches from so long ago. He pressed the space button on his keyboard a couple of times. The screen booted up. Steve typed in his password, opened the S.H.I.E.L.D. database, and continued to read the file on Brock Rumlow.

/

Kratos barged into his quarters, mumbling to himself and pacing the floor. Mimir was sitting on the nightstand, eyes glued to the TV as reruns of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives played.

"I shouldn't watch this stuff. Just makes me miss my stomach. Hey, you OK brother?"

"These fools don't understand their peril," Kratos grunted. "These recruits won't learn, they don't even try."

"Not everyone is fit for the Spartan teaching method, old friend," Mimir noted. "You told them about Xandar?"

"I told them."

"And?"

"They procrastinate still. Rogers believes his quest to eradicate Hydra bears more focus."

"Hmm…" Mimir sighed. "Wish I had an answer for that one."

"People are...difficult," Kratos stated, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

"That they are," Mimir replied.

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"So, now what, brother?" Mimir asked.

"I suppose we stay and help them." Kratos sighed.

"Really? I have to say, that is a bit out of character for you." Mimir said, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"It is not. Athena still haunts my mind. She wants me to give up. In the words of the mortals..'Fuck'...Athena.

Mimir burst out laughing. Kratos raised an eyebrow.

"I'm...ohh…hoo!" Mimir said in between wheezes. "I'm sorry...I've just...never heard you swear...in all our years together!"

"Athena deserves it," Kratos said matter-of-factly.

"Did you hear that, you useless ascended hag?! Kratos isn't taking anymore of your...shenanigans!" Mimir yelled to the room. Suddenly, the TV flickered, the lights dimmed and the ground shook but for a moment.

"Oh, bah!" Mimir blurted, blowing a raspberry at the TV. "Complain all you want, Athena! You have no power anymore, so go...oh, I don't know..."

"Die." Kratos inserted.

"Yeah, sure, that. At least you thought of something." Mimir replied.

/

Kratos was once again surrounded by his burning village, blackened mortals rolling on the ground, squealing in agony, trying to put themselves out. He looked to the distance. He could see a large figure, blocked from view by flame and smoke.

_YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING BY TELLING THEM?_

The figure came into view, blade in hand, golden armor glowing in the firelight. The gauntlet on the figure's hand was lit with six differently-colored stones; blue, red, orange, purple, yellow and green. His purple skin was coated with blood.

"Thanos."

_THEY WILL ALL FAIL. THIS WORLD IS DOOMED, SPARTAN. I WILL LAUGH AS I WATCH IT DIE, AND IT WILL BE ALL YOUR FAULT!_

"Athena...enough," Kratos whispered to the air as her words shook the leaves on the trees around him. He knew she wouldn't just leave, even if he wouldn't listen anymore. She had never left. She never will.

Thanos pointed his gauntlet at a group of cowering children. Kratos watched as they all began to lift off the ground, their screams of fear echoing through the burning landscape.

_IF ONLY YOU HAD GIVEN ME THE HOPE WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE. IF ONLY YOU HAD LET ME RULE THEM, ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. I COULD HAVE SAVED THEM!_

Athena's voice rose in volume and echoed as if the whole world spoke her words. Kratos tried to run toward the hulking alien, but his feet betrayed him. His movement seemed to only bring him farther away from his target. He watched helplessly as Thanos rotated the gauntlet to one side. The screaming children began to stretch and contort, their limbs slowly separating from their bodies. The children's screams turned to inhuman wails.

_BUT YOU HAD TO RUIN EVERYTHING!_

"Aaaand that's quite enough of that." A male voice said from behind Kratos. Suddenly, the horrorscape of Kratos' nightmare washed away like sand in the wind. He found he could move again. He turned to face the voice. Before him stood a tall man, dressed in robes and a red cape, a strange green medallion hanging from his neck. Kratos' first instinct was to pull his blades from his back.

"You can't hurt me in here, old man: this is the dream dimension, but please feel free to try." The man said confidently. Kratos, blades still in hand, scanned the man up and down.

"Who are you?" Kratos demanded.

"I'm the Sorcerer Supreme, but Strange works just fine. I'm sure a guy like you has no time for formalities."

"You are not the Sorcerer Supreme."

"Uh...yes. I am." The man said. His brows furrowed as he gave a confused chuckle.

"The Sorcerer Supreme was a woman."

"Oh, okay. I see the confusion here. Sorry to say she died about a year ago. So...hello. Nice to meet you. Sorcerer Supreme here."

"Hmm." Kratos replied. He returned his blades to his back. "What do you want?"

"Actually, It's about what _you_ want." Strange replied.

"I am not in the mood for riddles," Kratos stated impatiently. "State your business, wizard."

"Fair enough. See, I hated riddles and cryptic statements too once, and here I am dishing them out. I guess it comes with the job. Hold tight."

With the speed of thought, Strange was directly in front of Kratos, pressing his finger to Kratos' forehead. Before Kratos could react, he found himself awake, standing alone in a dark room, surrounded by books. Kratos observed his surroundings. He was in a library of some kind, the books on the shelves ancient and weathered. He looked down. He was wearing his armor and was fully equipped with all his gear. He looked to his belt, where Mimir was attached and was slowly coming to.

"Odin's beard, I had the weirdest dream," Mimir said as he yawned. "Some bearded man touched my forehead and...oh."

Mimir's expression changed from drowsy apathy to concern.

"Wh- where are we?" Mimir asked.

"You are in the New York Sanctum." A voice said from behind. Kratos turned to see Strange, in the flesh.

"Ah, see? We finally made it here!" Mimir joked, but Kratos' scowl instantly curdled Mimir's joviality.

"You better have brought me here for a reason, wizard," Kratos warned.

"Don't insult my status, war god," Strange replied. "First of all, it's 'master of the mystic arts', not 'wizard'. Second, I'm a busy guy. You know, planning for the end of the world and all that. Of course I brought you here for a reason: your son."

Kratos paused. Why would the Sorcerer Supreme care about his son? Would this just be another reassurance that he would see him one day? Would this be another wild goose chase? How many times in the last 4 years had he been teased with reuniting with his one surviving family member? Too many times...

"Do not mention my son unless he is here," Kratos said, fists clenched, readying himself for the disappointment.

"Actually, he is. Thor made a special request." Strange said nonchalantly.

Kratos' fists clenched tighter.

"Show me. Now." He ordered.

"Fine by me. The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get all these gods out of my home." Strange replied.

With a gust of air, Kratos found himself in another room that appeared to be the main lobby. The wooden staircase was well-varnished with a Tibetan theme, and crafted with the utmost attention to detail. The large room was adorned with ancient relics, seats, and bookshelves filled with worn scrolls and battered books. The sparsely-placed lamps provided enough light to see, but was dim enough to give an ambiance of mystery and calmness.

"Be right back. Wait here. Need anything to drink? A Lemnian wine maybe?"

"No." Kratos replied. Despite his objections, Kratos found his hand was holding a greek urn full of a sloshing liquid. There was a whooshing sound. Kratos looked up, but Strange was gone.

"You gonna drink that?" Mimir asked, looking fondly at the urn.

"No...yes." Kratos said reluctantly. He opened the cork of the urn and took a swig. Tasted just as good as he remembered it. He let out an audible sigh. Kratos could feel the eyes of his friend eyeing the urn. He looked down at the glowing eyes of Mimir, sighed, and lowered the urn to Mimir's mouth. The liquid poured past the Mimir's lips, and straight out from his throat onto the floor.

"Oh, mother of mercy...they don't make 'em like they used to," Mimir commented after licking his beard.

"No. They do not." Kratos agreed, irritably watching the wine as it spilled from Mimir's neck hole onto his foot.

Another whoosh of air, and Strange was back in the room, the orange glow of an incantation appearing from his hands. A thudding sound came from the staircase. Kratos turned his head just in time to watch Thor roll down the stairs to the floor. He was clothed as a mortal: jeans, boots and a canvas jacket. Thor immediately rose to his feet and looked at Kratos.

"Oh. Good, you're here," Thor stated. "I have a surprise for you."

Strange shot his spell into the air, and the spell expanded into a portal. On the other side, a field of grass could be seen.

"He's waiting for you," Strange declared as he looked at Thor. "Oh, and don't forget your umbrella."

"Oh yes," Thor responded as he held out his arm. The sound of breaking glass and books falling to the ground could be heard in the distance. The group awkwardly looked around as the sounds of breaking glass and splintered wood intensified. Kratos rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," Thor said only half-honestly. Finally, after a few seconds. Thor's umbrella came flying to his hand. Thor brushed the broken glass off of the umbrella and looked at Strange.

"I suppose I'll need my brother back." Thor noticed.

"Oh, yeah, right." Strange replied. He held his hand to the ceiling and spun his hand in a circular motion. A portal opened up above them and a screaming man dressed in black came falling through. With a violent thud, Loki hit the ground. He whipped his hair out of his face and caught his breath.

"I have been falling…for THIRTY MINUTES!" Loki yelled.

Kratos looked to the man on the floor.

"Atreus…"

"You can handle it from here," Strange said to Thor.

"Yes, thank you very much for your help," Thor said, shaking Strange's hand.

"Handle me?" Loki exclaimed as he rose to his feet. "Who are you?"

With a flick of his wrists, two blades appeared from Loki's sleeves.

"Loki…" Thor warned, holding out his arm.

"You think you're some kind of sorcerer?" Loki said as he approached Strange, blades in hand. "Don't think for one minute you second-rate amateur-"

"Alright, bye-bye." Strange blurted as he swung his arm. With that, the portal engulfed the three gods. Loki fell as he attempted to jump for the Sorcerer Supreme, but what met him was the cold ground of Norway.

The three gods found themselves surrounded by grass, the catacombs of Strange's sanctum was nowhere to be seen. In front of Kratos, a small portal reopened, and Strange's face popped out.

"Oh, by the way, we want that Blade of Abaddon back. If the Cultists of the Destroyer get it and replace it in Abaddon's hand, we are in a heap of trouble. You still have it, right?"

"No."

"What the hell do you mean 'no'?"

"Lost on Xandar."

"Dammit. She didn't tell you about Abaddon, did she?"

"No. She was cryptic about it."

Strange sighed.

"Of course she was. Another thing to worry about on top of everything else. Well...enjoy the reunion."

With that, Strange's head popped back into the head-sized portal and disappeared just as Loki tried to make another jump at him, only to once again hit the ground. Kratos looked down at Loki.

"Atreus, I-"

"Who is Atreus, and who are you, old man?!" Loki said as he got to his feet, blades still in hand.

"Loki...son..." Kratos said, with a softness he hadn't heard leave his mouth in what felt like millennia.

The three stood for a moment in silence.

"...Father?"


	12. Sakaar

**12**

**Sakaar**

"Brother, meet Kratos. Your father." Thor said as he stood between the two gods.

"My father...is...the god slayer?" Loki blurted as he scanned the God of War up and down.

Kratos tried to think of something to say but came up short. In all the years mounting up to this, he never once considered what to say. Loki wasn't an obstacle, or an enemy, or even a milestone towards attaining some goal. Loki was just...his son. What, after so many millennia, could he say?

"The one who killed Baldur?" Loki continued. "How could I be the offspring of such a...witless brute?!"

"This witless brute birthed you, so watch your tongue, boy," Kratos said.

"Don't you..._DARE..._call me boy.." Loki said, pointing his finger in the air, his head cringing to one side with the utterance of the word. "I am a fully-grown god, and I will not be emasculated by such insults."

"This is going well," Thor said to himself, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"A fully-grown god? What fully-grown god would dishonor their mother, a great warrior, by fighting with...kitchen utensils? The weapons of a child. Or a thief." Kratos commented, looking at Loki's knives.

"I...KITCHEN UTENSILS?! I am a master of sorcery and deception, something you couldn't possibly understand!"

"Then perhaps you should demonstrate for me. BOY." Kratos raised his voice in frustration.

"I'll show you a thing or two about what kind of BOY I am!" Loki replied.

The two prepared themselves.

"Oi, oi! Look!" Mimir called out before the two started to lay into each other. The two turned from their confrontation to look to where Mimir was looking. Off in the distance was a figure standing by the cliffside. Thor slowly walked over to the figure. Loki looked to Odin, then to Kratos.

"We will continue this...introduction later. My father needs me." Loki said, putting his knives away.

"Fine." Kratos said quietly.

"Not how you thought it would go, did it?" Mimir asked.

"No."

"Well, you can't exactly walk into someone's life and expect it to be all sunshine and lollipops," Mimir explained. "He's an adult now, he's had fifteen-hundred years to grow up, and you aren't exactly the father type."

"Quiet." Kratos grunted.

"Okay, sorry, just-"

"I said. Quiet."

Kratos looked on as the Asgardians talked by the cliffside. He observed Thor's look of distress and confusion. Loki's look of sadness. Finally, Odin turned his head to look to Kratos. He raised a hand in salutation. Kratos did nothing. They were old enemies. The one who killed his wife, took his child. The one who ruined his life. Now Odin sat, nothing more than a tired old man.

Odin stood up, with help from Thor, and began walking towards him. The murderer of his wife. The god who ruined everything for him. Odin approached Kratos, and the two stood silent for some time.

"You've gotten old." Odin said after a while.

"As have you." Kratos replied.

"Were this meeting to have been made two hundred years ago, I'm sure it would have ended in bloodshed."

"It may yet."

"Fear not, godslayer. My time has come. Soon, I will be nothing but dust."

"If so, then perhaps I should ease your passing."

Kratos looked at this decaying man before him. The titan of war he once knew, barely able to stand on his own. Kratos debated pulling his blades out and decapitating the old man where he stood. He looked to Thor and Loki. To deny a son their last moments with their father...perhaps at another time, he wouldn't have cared. But now, he couldn't risk pushing Loki farther from him, even if it meant avenging Faye. Avenging the time lost with his son, only to lose whatever future he would have with Loki. The blades stayed sheathed. Kratos sighed.

"I-"

"Don't." Kratos said through gritted teeth. Odin frowned.

"Olympian, nothing will change the past. The regretful decisions were made. Allow me to make this last amend."

"Nothing you do now will make amends."

_You would know, wouldn't you?_

"No. perhaps not." Odin replied. "The war with the Jotunn cost us both. Your wife, Baldur…"

"Do not compare the death of my wife with the death of the lackey you sent to kill me."

"He was more than a lackey, Kratos. He was a son, obsessed with making his father proud. I didn't send him. He hunted you without my blessing."

Kratos paused.

"I didn't…"

"But how could you know? I'm sure you both didn't stop to talk."

Odin looked to Thor and Loki.

"It appears as though we are now family. Imagine that? The Allfather and the Godslayer, Asgard and Olympus, bound together by a frost giant. The world is never lacking in surprises."

Odin turned back to Kratos.

"Loki is under your care now, as he should have been, all those years ago. Watch over them both." Odin said, a look of sincerity in his eyes.

Kratos looked to Loki. Through gritted teeth, he replied:

"You have my word."

With that, Odin gave a weak smile and slowly trudged back to his sons. Odin struggled to sit as he placed himself between Thor and Loki once again. Kratos looked on as Odin began to glow, then as his body dissolved into particles of luminescent dust. Watching Odin vanish into the air didn't stop Kratos from hating him, but he gave his word. Loki was under his care now. He would not let any harm come to him, no matter how...troubled Loki was. His attention was suddenly drawn to the sky as it began to grow cloudy unnaturally quickly.

"This was your doing." Kratos could hear Thor say to Loki as the sky grew stormy.

"What's that?" Mimir asked as the ground rumbled. Kratos turned to watch as a portal opened up before them. The hole was dark and chaotic, with a green glow emanating from far inside. Kratos could feel the cold of Hel emanating from the green glow, killing the grass nearby and frosting his armor. Thor and Loki abandoned their mortal clothes for their Asgardian armor in a blast of lightning and magic. Kratos drew his blades from his back and prepared for whatever came from that portal. As the three looked on, a slim armored woman emerged from the green glow. Her hair black and windswept, as if caught in a storm for millenia. Her armor was tattered and torn, and her skin pale and weathered.

"So he's gone. It's a shame, I would have liked to have seen that." The woman said coldly.

"You must be Hela. I am Thor, son of Odin." Thor replied, trying to keep the grief from his voice.

"Really? You don't look like him." Hela replied.

"Perhaps we can come to an arrangement." Loki said nervously.

"You _sound _like him," Hela said, turning to Loki and sneering.

"Not good, this lady is bad news," Mimir said quietly.

"And who are you, pale one?" Hela asked to Kratos.

"My name is none of your concern," Kratos replied, tightening the grasp on his blades.

"I'm sure it is. A friend of Mimir is a friend of mine. I still never thanked you properly for tutoring me all those years ago." She said with a smile, her eyes darting between Mimir's and Kratos'.

"But then you grew up, didn't you?" Mimir said with regret in his voice.

"That, I did. You lost some weight."

Mimir rolled his glowing eyes.

"In any case, I suggest you all Kneel." Hela said confidently.

"I beg your pardon?" Loki asked. Hela smiled and gave a flick of her wrist. From her hand appeared a black blade of ominous design, jagged and sharp.

"Kneel," She repeated, sneering. "Before your queen."

"I don't think so." Thor retorted. He threw Mjolnir straight at her chest. Mjolnir rocketed through the air at her with the speed of a bullet. Kratos followed the trajectory of the hammer as it left Thor's hand, flew across the grassy terrain, and straight into Hela's hand, where it stopped suddenly. The hammer groaned and vibrated as it pushed against her hand, trying to hit its target, but to no avail. Thor looked on in shock.

"What? But…" Mimir started.

"It's not possible." Thor said in bewilderment. He tried to pull Mjolnir back to his hand, but it didn't budge.

"Darling, you have no idea what's possible." Hela bragged. With her one hand, she squeezed against Mjolnir's head until it began to crack. Before their very eyes, Mjolnir shattered, sending a blinding flash of light across the land. Lightning and energy engulfed the group, forcing everyone to stagger and cover their eyes. When the blast cleared, all that was left of Mjolnir was a pile of rock and a wooden handle, lying limp on the ground. Hela slid her hands over her head. As she did so, a spiked crown appeared on her head, shaped like antlers of some demonic elk. She stepped over the rubble and flicked both her wrists, causing two blades to appear in her hands.

"Bring us back!" Loki yelled to the sky in panic.

"NO!" Thor yelled. He began to charge at Hela, but the Bifrost engulfed them. Hela ignored Kratos and ran into the beam after them.

"After her! She can't reach Asgard!" Mimir yelled as Hela disappeared into the Bifrost.

Kratos ran into the beam. The light engulfed his vision as he was shot upwards. He looked up through the multicolored light show above him and saw three figures farther up. He watched as Loki shot a knife at Hela, who grabbed the knife and sent it back with twice the velocity, hitting Loki and knocking him into the wall of the Bifrost. Loki disappeared from sight as the wall broke and reformed. Kratos was catching up with her, but not fast enough to save Thor from also being knocked out into the void beyond the Bifrost's protection. Hela looked down and smiled as her next challenge caught up with her. Kratos swung his blades through the air, slicing through the Bifrost as they streaked for Hela's neck. Hela pulled a blade from her hand and blocked the attack, then countered with a volley of knives. Kratos used his other blade as a shield against them, spinning it fast enough on its chain to slice apart the knives as they tried to pass through. Kratos swung again, sending both blades towards Hela. One blade was blocked, but the other slashed her arm. The armor tore, but seemed to grow back. Finally, Kratos was within arm's reach of her. Kratos stabbed at her stomach, but Hela quickly pulled another blade out from her hand and blocked. Hela threw another volley of knives, hitting Kratos' leg armor, penetrating enough to puncture his skin. Kratos groaned in anger and slashed at Hela with a torrent of flame and metal, enough to knock her weapons from her hands. Kratos grabbed her neck and stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach with his red-hot blades, only for her to heal instantly. Hela grinned as Kratos watched his work undone within seconds. As he aimed a blade to decapitate her, Kratos felt Hela's foot push against his stomach. Kratos flew through the wall of the Bifrost and into the void of space.

Nebulae and stars flew past him faster than he could process as he hurdled through the cold emptiness. Eventually, he saw a planet appear in the distance. The flames that engulfed him as he entered the atmosphere was a relief from the cold of space, but his relief was cut short as the surface of the dingy planet quickly approached him. He braced for the impact, hitting a pile of garbage hard enough to send dust and debris flying in all directions. He staggered to his feet and looked at his surroundings. Garbage surrounded him, and more was falling from strange wormholes that peppered the sky.

"Well, I can honestly say falling out of the Bifrost was not one of the items on my bucket list." Mimir commented, coughing as the dust settled.

"Nor I." Kratos replied, allowing his cuts to heal. "Who was that woman?"

"That was Hela, firstborn daughter of Odin. Goddess of death and a monster in her own right. She led Asgrad's forces across the cosmos, conquering the nine realms and killing anyone that stood in her way. If she made it to Asgard, then no doubt she will try to take over and begin where she left off, and she won't stop at the nine realms this time."

"My only concern is to find Loki." Kratos announced.

"But brother, she could come for Earth."

"And where is Earth from here?" Kratos asked, raising an upward hand to the sky. Mimir sighed and stayed silent.

As soon as the conversation ended, a hovercraft approached them. It landed a few meters away, and immediately erupted with a horde of cloaked figures. Some armed with guns, some with sticks, some with nothing at all. Kratos stood to meet them. One removed his mask and approached the demigod with hunger in his eyes.

"Look boys, this one has plenty of meat on his bones," He said to the others. "No rotten garbage tonight!"

The others laughed and cheered as they began to flank Kratos.

"You do not want this fight, reaver." Kratos warned, pulling the blades from his back.

"Oh, I think I do. You'll feed my children for a week!" The leader said, pulling out a knife from his robes.

"So be it." Kratos replied, activating his helmet.

The reavers closed in. The leader swiped with his knife. Kratos ducked then slashed, cutting the reaver in half. Blood soaked Kratos' face as the reaver's body fell in pieces to the ground. Another reaver came from behind. Kratos sidestepped and turned, decapitating the man with ease. As the group of reavers closed in around him, and quite frankly not interested in taking his time, Kratos let his blades loose. The two blades spun around him like helicopter propellers, lopping off arms, heads, legs and other body parts. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air. It took 3 seconds to kill 30 of these poor souls, but Kratos didn't care, he had a mission, and these raiders were getting in the way. The blood on the blades evaporated away, leaving dried red spots on the metal. The charred bodies around him settled. Only two reavers remained, and they took off and ran for the hovercraft as soon as Kratos' eyes set on them. Kratos shot a blade at one, which stabbed through the man's stomach. With a flick of his arm, a wave of flame erupted down the chain to the blade, causing the reaver on the end of the blade to vaporize in fire. The other reaver was hit with the wave of flame and body parts and was knocked over. Kratos approached the fallen raider, who was desperately trying to crawl away from the fast-approaching madman behind him. Kratos picked him up by his leg and held him upside down above the ground.

"P-p-please don't kill me, I have children!" The reaver begged as his robes began to soil.

Kratos took a blade and slowly held it to the reaver's leg. The reaver started praying to his obscure alien gods as the heat of the blade singed his leg hairs.

"Can you fly that?" Kratos asked, nodding his head towards the hovercraft. The reaver looked over, then nodded violently.

"That city," Kratos said, looking to the skyscrapers in the distance. "Take me there."

In the distance, from one of the thousands of wormholes that spewed never-ending streams of garbage onto the planet, a sword came through, black and angry, the demonic script on the sheath glowing red, calling for its master, calling for someone to find it, to bring it home, to destroy everything.


	13. Planet Hulk

**13**

**Planet Hulk**

"I don't wanna fight your sister, that's a family issue!" Bruce argued as he and Thor sat on the dingy alleyways of Sakaar city.

"No, she's an evil being." Thor replied, furrowing his brow at the thought of her.

"I don't care what she is, I'm not fighting anymore beings! I'm sick of it, I just told you, If I turn into the Hulk, I am never gonna come back again. And you don't care!"

"No, no, I'm putting together the team. Hulk is the fire!"

"Wait, you're just using me to get to the Hulk…"

"What?! No!"

"It's gross," Banner said, looking away and shaking his head. "You don't care about me, you're not my friend."

"No! I don't even _like _the Hulk, He's all like 'smash, smash, smash!'" Thor replied, making small punch motions with his hands. "I prefer you."

Banner's mouth twitched into a weak smile. "Thanks."

There was a pause.

"But, if I'm being honest," Thor broke the silence, "When it comes to fighting evil beings, he is very powerful and useful!"

"As am I," came a voice from street. They both looked to the source of the voice. There, casting a shadow over the two, stood Kratos, armed to the teeth and clad in Olympian armor.

"Brother!" Thor replied, "Glad to see you!"

"Wait, he's here too? How did you all get here?!" Bruce asked, still processing the fact that he was on another planet.

"I fell from the Bifrost hours ago, same as Thor."

"But...I've been here for a week.." Thor replied, "How did you...oh, the time thing."

"What?" Kratos asked.

"This planet is...odd. The time moves differently here. A few seconds for you was a week for us. The Grandmaster told me." Thor explained.

"The Grandmaster?" Kratos asked for clarification.

"Long story. In any case, now we really have a team!" Thor said, raising an optimistic eyebrow at Bruce. "Okay Spartan, settle this for us. In a fight, which would you prefer, Hulk or Banner?"

"The green one." Kratos replied without hesitation.

"There, see?" Thor said to Bruce, smiling cheekily.

"Okay, Banner is useful too!" Bruce said defensively.

"Is he though?" Thor asked, cocking his head to one side and squinting with doubt.

"How many PHDs does Hulk have? Zero. How many does Banner have? Seven!"

Thor gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Fine, you don't have to fight anyone. With Ghost at our side, that makes up for it. But we are in danger here, so we have to move." Thor said to the group.

Thor looked to the ground, then picked up a rag and threw it over his head.

"What are you doing with that?" Bruce asked.

I need a disguise, I'm a fugitive." Thor replied.

"I need a disguise." Banner replied.

"You _are_ the disguise." Thor said, pointing to Bruce's human body.

"I'll be Tony Stark." Bruce said as he put on a pair of sunglasses that lay in the breast pocket of the blazer he was wearing.

"What?" Thor asked.

"Yeah, Tony and the gypsy! And the...angry man." Bruce said, pointing to Kratos, who was frowning and not really paying attention to their conversation.

"No, no. You're not Tony, you're Bruce Banner."

"Then why did you dress me up like Tony?"

"Because you were naked."

"Enough!" Kratos said, raising his voice. The other two looked at him. "You squabble like old men. If we are in danger then we will pick your alibi on the move."

"He's right, let's get moving." Thor replied, then stopped to look at Kratos' armor and weapons.

"What?" Kratos asked, looking down.

"You don't exactly blend in either, captain tattoos." Thor noticed.

"I am NOT wearing a rag on my head." Kratos replied.

"FIne, but you stand out like a...giant armored grey man with a talking head on his belt." Thor stuttered.

"Trust that I will not get us captured." Kratos replied, rolling his eyes.

The group exited the alleyway into the streets of the city.

"Where is Loki?" Kratos asked.

"I'm not sure, last I saw him was at the Grandmaster's palace, but my primary concern is Asgard and Hela. We're gonna go to Asgard, defeat her, and Banner will never have to think about the hulk again." Thor said, his arm around Bruce's shoulder.

"All right." Bruce replied.

Almost immediately after speaking, Bruce was blasted in the face with green powder. He took off his glasses and looked on as a parade praising the Hulk passed by. People danced in the hundreds, wearing green masks and carrying giant Hulk-faces on poles.

"This is bad." Thor said, turning to where Bruce was just standing. Thor turned to ask Kratos if he saw where Bruce went, but Kratos was also nowhere to be seen..

"Banner? Ghost!" Thor called out as he scoured the crowd for them.

/

"You're just going to leave them there? Who knows what trouble they'll get into!" Mimir said as Kratos moved towards the Grandmaster's palace. The massive tower could be seen in the distance, dwarfing the rest of the city many times over.

"My only concern is Loki. Thor's concern is Asgard." Kratos replied, scowling at the mortals that stared at him and at Mimir as he walked by.

"I understand, but they're your brothers! They need you!"

"Thor and Banner are capable. They will find their way to Asgard and defeat the crone. We will find Loki and-"

"And if he's not at the palace? What if he went to go find Thor? Loki could be anywhere! Best we stay with the group, don't you think?"

"They will slow me down. If he is not there, I will ask the Grandmaster. Then I will ask the guards, then the peasants, until I find him."

"Weren't you _just_ trying to teach the new Avengers to work as a team?"

"Do not lecture me, head."

"Well, I think you need some advice, so I will lecture you. Why else am I here? Now stop walking and listen to me, you stubborn troll!"

Kratos stopped walking through the crowd and stood, still looking to the palace.

"Fine. Speak."

"I can't watch you abandon Thor and Banner in this city. For what? Some mischief god who doesn't even like you, I might add? Thor may reach Asgard on their own, yes, but what happens when Hela kills him and you weren't there? What if she comes for Earth? And trust me, Thor is strong but he just isn't on Hela's level. And Bruce, well, Bruce is a coin flip. I can't stop you from abandoning them for your own ends, but you know you will regret it. Faye would-"

"FAYE...would want me to find our son! And she would want me to help..."

Kratos debated in his head. Find Loki alone, risk Thor's death. Help Thor, potentially save many lives, but risk losing Loki, _again..._what would Faye do?

_It's to prove to the recruits that we listen to each other; that we're a team. As a fellow soldier, you know how important that is_

Steve's words returned to him.

_Are you a vigilante...or are you an Avenger?_

Kratos looked down at the ground, then to Mimir. Reluctantly, he turned around and headed back for his team.

"You won't regret this, old friend." Mimir said, relieved.

"That is yet to be certain." Kratos mumbled.

Kratos entered an open area, filled with hundreds of citizens, parading and dancing, cheering Hulk's name.

"How do you think Bruce got this...following?" Mimir asked.

"I do not know." Kratos replied, scanning the area for signs of his fellow Avengers. A creature caught his eye. Some strange tall alien, clad in a leather chest plate, began to roar in the direction of a small, glasses-wearing man.

"Banner!" Kratos called out as he began to push his way through the crowd. As he did so, he watched as Thor stepped in between the creature and Bruce. Then, the alien spasmed and fell to the ground. Behind the creature was a woman, who seemed to know Thor. Kratos pushed harder through the dancing citizens to reach them.

"...It's my disguise." Thor explained to the woman.

"But I can see your face." She retorted.

"Not when I do this, you can't," Thor replied, covering his face with the rag on his head. "Hey, Spartan, where did you go, I was worried sick!"

"I was sidetracked." Kratos replied, having walked up to the group.

"Who is this man? Do I know him…?" The woman asked, scanning the large stranger.

"He's with us." Thor responded.

She nodded while still scanning the large demigod, then turned to walk away. When she realized no one was following her, she turned, rolled her eyes and nodded her head in the direction she was walking. Thor turned to Kratos, shrugged and nodded to follow her.

"You know this woman?" Kratos asked Thor as the group walked through the crowd behind the strange woman. He looked to her clothes, her face tattoo, it all reminded him of something from long ago.

"Oh, yes, quite exhaustively at this point." Thor said, scratching the red spot on his neck where his obedience disk was implanted.

"And she can be trusted?"

"Not really, but she may help us on our journey. And she's Asgardian." Thor replied.

"Ah, that explains it." Mimir mumbled.

Asgardian. That explained the armor, but not the face tattoo. What did Mimir mean by 'it'? It was on the tip of his tongue, but Kratos couldn't remember. It wasn't important. He had other things on his mind.

"We _will _find Loki before we leave this place." Kratos announced.

Thor looked to Kratos, then to Mimir, who was giving a subtle nod, his eyes wide.

"Uh...yes. Of course." Thor said dismissively. "He may be your son, but he's my brother. If it will grant you peace, then we will do it."

Kratos huffed with acknowledgement as Thor returned his gaze to Bruce. Bruce was still bewildered by the parade as they walked by, confused by how an entire city could be so enthralled by such a creature as the Hulk.

Finally, they reached an open door. The group followed her inside.

"What are those things on her eyes, are those people she's killed?" Bruce asked, finally away from the parade and free to bring his attention to the woman before them. "She's so beautiful and courageous."

"Who is this guy?" The woman asked.

"He's a friend." Thor replied as they entered the room.

"Who, me? I'm Bruce." Banner said, rubbing the green power from the parade out of his hair with Thor's rag.

"I feel like I know you." The woman said, furrowing her brow.

"I feel like I know you too." Bruce replied, grinning with confusion.

The group continued to walk through the green halls of the worn-down building. At the end of the hall, the woman stopped by a locked door and turned around.

"Look, I've spent years in a haze, trying to forget my past." She began as the others listened.

"Sakaar seemed like the best place to drink and forget, and to die one day."

"Your past never leaves you." Kratos said coldly. "No matter what you try. All you can do is...try to make up for it."

"Exactly. I can't turn away anymore." She agreed. "So, if I'm gonna die, it may as well be driving my sword through the heart of that murderous hag."

"Stabbing her in the heart does not work. I have already tried." Kratos mentioned.

"Oh...well, then I'll cut her goddamn head off. What I mean to say is...I'm on your team." The woman said. "Has it got a name?"

"Yeah, it's called the Revengers." Thor said.

"The Revengers?" The woman asked, her entire face twisted with criticism.

"Because I'm getting revenge, you're getting revenge." Thor said, pointing to the woman, who pursed her lips in agreeance.

"Do you want revenge?" Thor asked Bruce.

"I...uh..I'm undecided." Bruce replied.

"How 'bout you, brother?"

"Do not talk to me about revenge." Kratos mumbled.

"Fair enough." Thor said, raising one eyebrow and taking an awkward sigh.

"Also, I've got a peace offering." The woman said, grinning as she swiped her wrist over the panel on the door. The door slid upward, revealing an empty room where Loki was chained to a stone on the floor. Kratos looked down at Mimir.

"Ah?" Mimir whispered cheekily.

"Surprise..." Loki said sarcastically, looking down at the floor.

The group entered the apartment. Thor picked up a small statue and threw it at Loki's head. The statue bounced off his forehead and hit the floor with a loud clang.

"Ow."

"Just had to be sure." Thor said, then noticed Kratos' confusion.

"Astral projections. Magic and...stuff." Thor said.

"Hmm." Kratos replied.

"Hello, 'father'." Loki said. "Or so you claim to be."

"You are well?" Kratos asked.

"About as well as one can be, chained to a rock." Loki replied. "Is that Bruce?"

Bruce hesitantly entered the room.

"Maybe I _should _let big green out if this guy's involved." Bruce said to Thor.

"NO, no." Thor replied, "Not necessary. Small room. Big Hulk."

The woman returned from searching through her closet, and brought out a sword wrapped in blue cloth.

"Is that a Dragonfang?" Thor asked.

"It is."

"My God." Thor replied, pulling the silver blade from the cloth. "This is the famed sword of the Valkyrie!"

The Valkyrie...that's where he knew her from.

"The ones who were cursed by Odin." Kratos grumbled. The Woman stopped walking and turned to Kratos.

"Who _are _you?"

Kratos stayed quiet as the two held eye contact. The woman inspected him up and down as she walked around him.

"The pale skin...the tattoo...I couldn't imagine it but...you brought the Godslayer to my apartment?!" The woman turned to Thor.

"It's all just a big misunderstanding." Thor replied. "He's...blunt, but generally an alright fellow."

"I doubt that." The woman said, turning back to Kratos. "The Jotunn lover, and the killer of Baldur. And it wasn't Odin that cursed them, it was Hela. And it wasn't a curse...it was necromancy."

"Necromancy?" Kratos confirmed.

"She's the goddess of death, what do you think she does with the one's she's killed?"

"Bring them back as her slaves…" Mimir sighed. "I didn't realize the Valkyrie we fought were…"

"It's a touchy subject for me." The woman interrupted, taking her eyes away from Kratos. "You fought them?"

"I released them of their fate. That is all." Kratos replied.

"Then...if you granted them rest, then perhaps you are as Thor says. I suppose I'm in your debt. I'm Brunnhilde." The woman said.

Kratos nodded his head and looked over to Loki.

"Sakaar is about as far from Asgard as any two known systems," Brunnhilde explained. "Our best bet is a wormhole just outside of city limits. Refuel on Xandar, we can be back in Asgard in eighteen months."

"Xandar is gone." Kratos explained.

"What?" Brunnhilde exclaimed.

"Ashes and blood are all you will find there." Kratos added.

"Besides, we aren't going to Xandar. We are going through the big one." Thor explained as he pointed the Dragonfang to the large wormhole seen through her window. The giant portal could be seen dropping thousands of tons of smoke and ash through its red event horizon. The massive portal dwarfed any of the other wormholes that dotted the sky.

"The Devil's anus?" Brunnhilde asked, looking rather uncertain.

"Anus?" Bruce called from the kitchen in between bites of his newly-made sandwich. "Wait, wait, wait. _Whose _anus?"

"For the record, I didn't know it was called that when I picked it." Thor replied.

"That looks like a collapsing neutron star inside of an Einstein-Rosen bridge." Bruce said, looking through the window at the gaping hole in the sky.

"To travel that close to a neutron star is suicide." Kratos grunted.

"Not necessarily," Bruce said. "If we can find a ship with inertial dampeners, a shield or hull dense enough to withstand spaghettification…"

"We will need another ship. That thing will tear mine to pieces." Brunnhilde explained, grabbing a bottle of alien alcohol from her living room table.

"She's right," Thor chimed in. "We need one that can withstand the geodetic strain from the singularity."

"And has an offline power-steering system that could also function as the onboard computer"

"Perhaps with an interface, a USB or something like that. I could probably assist with any troubleshooting. Just plug me in and we are good to go." Mimir added.

"And cupholders, because we're gonna die, so, drinks!" Brunnhilde said as she raised the bottle into the air.

"Where will we find such a vessel?" Kratos asked.

"I don't mean to impose-" Loki said, just before Brunnhilde launched her bottle at him, shattering against the wall and sending glass everywhere. Loki took a moment before he reopened his eyes.

"But the Grandmaster has a great many ships," Loki continued. "I may even have stolen access codes to his security system."

"And suddenly you're overcome with the urge to do the right thing." Brunnhilde commented cynically.

"Heavens, no." Loki replied. "I've fallen out of favor with the Grandmaster, and in exchange for codes and access to a ship, I'm asking for a safe passage through the Anus."

"You're telling us that you can access the garage without setting off any alarms?" Thor asked.

"Yes, brother, I can."

"Okay, just...a quick FYI…" Bruce said, gathering in the group. "I was just talking with him a couple minutes ago, and he is totally ready to kill any of us."

"He did try to kill me." Brunnhilde added.

"Yes, me too." Thor said, "On many, many occasions. There was once a time when we were children-"

"I will take him." Kratos interrupted. "I gave an oath to protect him."

"I'm not going with him…" Loki called to the group.

"You think you can handle him? He's slippery." Thor said.

"It doesn't matter. I will take him." Kratos replied.

"No, he's not!" Loki yelled.

"Yes I will, and you will learn about your people and your ways, and you will enjoy it!" Kratos yelled back. Loki scoffed and looked back down to the floor.

"If we're boosting a ship, we're gonna need to draw some guards from the palace." Brunnhilde mentioned.

"Why not set the beast loose?" Loki asked. Bruce flinched.

"Shut up." Thor said, pointing an accusing finger at Loki.

"You guys have a beast?" Brunnhilde asked, grinning.

"No, there's no beast, he's just being stupid," Thor replied. "We're going to start a revolution. And Kratos is gonna distract the hell out of those guards."

"Revolution?" Bruce asked.

"Distract?" Kratos asked.

"I'll explain later." Thor said.

"Who's this guy, again?" Brunnhilde asked.

"I'll explain later." Thor repeated.

/

Kratos waited outside for his army to appear from the stadium. There was the sound of gunfire, and an explosion or two before the ragtag group of gladiators left the gates of the coliseum. The first one out appeared to be made of rocks.

"Korg?" Kratos asked.

"You know, you're the second one today to ask me that. I didn't know I was so popular, but I guess I was on TV a few times." Kork replied, his New-Zealand accent irritating Kratos more with every word. "I don't do autographs, though, big rock hands, I'd just break the pen."

"Enough." Kratos said impatiently. "You are all now under my command. Our job is to create havoc in the streets and force the Grandmaster's forces out of the palace. Are you prepared?"

"Sorry...I don't mean to sound ignorant, but who are you?" Korg asked, "I mean, we just got here and you're standing there like we're supposed to know who you are, giving us commands and such. Just seems like we're not on the same page, you know? I'm sure you're a nice guy, and wouldn't assume otherwise, but we just need some clarification, if that's not too much trouble."

Kratos sighed loudly.

"Do you not want to avenge your imprisonment?" Kratos said through gritted teeth.

The group of gladiators all mumbled in agreement, nodding their heads and looking at each other.

"Then follow." Kratos said, pulling his blades from his back and letting the flames engulf the metal. The crowd oohed and aahed at the sight of the magic blades.

"Man, those are cool. Do you think they'll cut me? I'm pretty tough, you know. All made of rocks. Just as long as you don't turn them into scissors. That's just a little rock, paper, scissors joke for you-"

"SILENCE!" Kratos yelled. "If you utter one more word I shall test your theory!"

Kratos turned to the city. "NOW EARN YOUR FREEDOM! ENSURE THEY REMEMBER YOUR NAMES!"

"IT'S KORG! GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY! ROCK CREATURE HERE, WITH FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS! HERE TO START A REV-"

"ENOUGH, ROCK!" Kratos roared.

Kratos activated his helmet and charged into the streets of the city, followed by the roaring gladiators, armed to the teeth and ready to make sure the Grandmaster felt their wrath.

/

Amidst the chaos of the city, a strange creature, wearing a black hood and long robes, ran through the streets. The sword in his hand called for him to kill everything, _anything _around him, but he knew better than to wield his master's sword, no matter how loudly the blade called to him. The figure crammed past the Hulk fans and random citizens as they screamed for their lives. Guards ran past, charging towards the source of gunfire, barely noticing the strange creature as it carried the glowing blade through the streets. The cloaked figure made a hard turn to the right into a doorway just in time to avoid a plasma round. The blast hit the doorframe, covering the figure in dusk and rock, but it kept running. It ran down the hall to a door, swiped his wrist over the panel and walked through the opening door. Inside, a dark circle of similarly-hooded figures waited around a table for his return. He approached the circle, breathing heavily, and placed the sword in the High priest's hands. The priest motioned to him to join the circle. He ignored the pleas for mercy coming from the table and joined the circle.

"Vocamus exterminatore." The priest spoke through his mutated mouth, his many rows of rotten teeth glimmering in the candlelight as he spoke.

"Ad adolebit hac tellure, donec nihil est, sed cinis." The others chanted in return.

"Uri omnibus planetis donec vitae est memoria." The leader chanted, turning to the screaming naked man hooked down to the stone table in the middle of the circle. The man squirmed and struggled as the hooks pulled his skin in unnatural directions.

"Statera debet reversus est ad universi." The priest unsheathed the sword and stabbed the man in the heart. The man's eyes opened wide, then turned black. His twisted face of agony turned to a malicious grin.

"My lord." The priest bowed before him. The man, now grinning and pale, levitated off the altar, ripping his skin free of the hooks holding him down.

"It has been too long." Abaddon noted, looking down at the sword in his gut. He pulled it out, letting the wound heal instantly.

"We are all ready, my lord." The priest said, removing his hood and lowering his head. The priest was a Kree, or at least he was one, years ago. His face was a horror to behold, an extra eye on his left cheek, a tentacle protruding from his neck, and his skin was adorned with hooks and chains, hanging from every appendage his face could handle.

"You have done well. The balance will return. Your place in the highest levels of the afterlife awaits you."

"We are ready."

As his followers bowed their heads, Abaddon began to morph into his angelic form. The skin on his pale face melted away, revealing the skull underneath, adorned with the symbols of that on his sword. His empty black eyes began to leak blood, and in a flash of red energy, the fleshy body of his host body became clad in armor so black, it seemed to swallow what little light the room held. Dark robes covered his legs. From his back, enormous razor-sharp wings sprouted, each feather made of the same metal that his sword was forged from. Blackness swallowed the room. For each of those robed figures, the last thing they saw was the wings of Abaddon, the glow of his sword and the grin on his skeletal face.


	14. Ragnarok

**14**

**Ragnarok**

"I'm probably better off staying here on Sakaar." Loki explained as he and Thor rode the elevator to the Grandmaster's hangar.

"I don't know how your father would feel about that, but I agree." Thor replied matter-of-factly.

"Did...did you just agree with me?" Loki asked after a moment.

"Come on, this place is perfect for you. It's savage, chaotic, lawless. Brother, you would do great here."

"Do you really think so little of me?"

"Loki, I thought the world of you. I thought we would fight side-by-side forever, but, at the end of the day, you're you and I'm me. I don't know. Maybe there's still good in you. But it's not me you need to prove that to, anymore. It's him."

"I don't need to prove anything to him. He's far from a bastion of morality."

"He may not be, but you can see it in his eyes when he looks at you. He sees himself in you, and he hates it. All the rage, all the anger towards the gods, towards Odin, the lust for power. You have more in common than you both are willing to see."

"And he thinks I'll become him?" Loki scoffed.

"He thinks you can be better, and so do I. But I can't help you. God knows I've tried, but our paths diverged a long time ago. Maybe he can show you what you are truly capable of."

Loki looked down and nodded his head, pretending not to be hurt by his brother's rejection.

"Yeah. I suppose after this, we should never see each other again."

"It's what you always wanted." Thor said, patting his brother's shoulder.

The two stood in silence as the elevator brought them higher and higher.

"Hey. Let's do 'get help'." Thor said, grinning.

"No."

"Come on, you love it."

"I hate it."

"It's great! It works every time."

"It's humiliating."

"Do you have a better plan?"

"No."

"We're doing it."

"We are not doing 'get help'"

In the hangar, a single patrol remained to guard the ships. The elevator door opened to reveal Thor clutching a limp Loki.

"Get help! Please! My brother, he's dying!" Thor said, carrying his brother out of the elevator.

The guards immediately went to assist Loki, only to have Loki lobbed into them like a bowling ball, knocking them all out instantly.

"Classic." Thor said, cackling cheekily.

/

"Keep fighting! Fight or they kill you! Understand?!"

The guard captain screamed over the gunfire as his remaining soldiers retreated into the palace. He looked around him as his men fell, one by one. He felt a shadow over top of him. The last thing he felt was intense heat as the Blades of Chaos slammed into the ground in front of him. His body was vaporized as the wave of fire consumed his body. Kratos stood up and looked behind him. What guards remained were dead or neutralized. The gladiators that followed behind him all cheered and began to run for the palace. Kratos approached the gate, grabbed the seal with both hands, and pulled the giant doors apart.

The palace was empty and quiet, save for some concubines and aristocrats who were scampering away as the gladiators swarmed into the giant hall. Kratos looked to his right and saw a gladiator raise his rifle towards the fleeing civilians. Immediately, he grabbed the rifle and pointed it away just in time for the plasma to leave the barrel.

"Not them." Kratos ordered, letting go of the steaming barrel.

"They're the ones who put us in there!" The alien complained, pointing at the elegantly-dressed citizens as they began to leave the room through whatever exit they could reach.

"We are leaving this planet. Let them live with their mistakes." Kratos said, staring down the gladiator. The warrior huffed and lowered his aim.

"What's the plan, sword person?" Korg asked.

"Find the hangar, steal the largest vessel we can find, and...save Asgard." Kratos sighed. He never thought he would say those words.

"Ass guard?" An alien in the group asked. They all snickered.

"Calm yourself, brother." Mimir whispered slowly.

"I. Am. Calm." Kratos said, the veins on his forehead bulging.

"Where to, boss?" Korg said, trying to change the subject.

"We find the hangar." Kratos reiterated.

The group wandered the halls of the enormous palace. The walls were adorned with so many artifacts and decorations, it would take any one person thousands of years to accumulate it. Tapestries and skulls, chandeliers and weapons from thousands of different cultures and civilizations. The gladiators took what they could as they wandered down the unguarded halls.

"You think we could pay a visit to the grandmaster?" One of the warriors called out. The others cheered in agreement.

"We do not have time for your squabbles." Kratos replied. "Thor may have already reached Asgard. If we are not there to lend aid, then your rebellion will mean nothing."

"Yeah. OUR rebellion. Exactly. What makes you in charge all of a sudden?" Another gladiator posed.

The gladiators all mumbled amongst each other.

"WELL, MY CHILDREN, IT'S BEEN A BLAST. UH, UH...BYE.."

The voice of the Grandmaster echoed through the city. Suddenly, a rocket could be heard launching from an upper level of the palace. Through the enormous window, the group watched as the escape pod flew overhead, then sputtered and crashed into the junkyard beyond the city limits.

"There is your Grandmaster. Anyone who wants to find his body before the cannibals do may be my guest." Kratos said to the group.

The group stayed quiet.

"Good."

Kratos turned to continue the search for the hangar. Eventually, they came across an elevator. Kratos pressed the call button, and the door swung open. The group all tried to cram into the small elevator. Kratos scowled in discomfort as more and more aliens tried to pack themselves in.

"We will, uh, wait for the next one." Korg said, scanning the cramped elevator, then to Kratos' unpleasant face. The doors closed, leaving half of the group behind.

"Can anyone reach the buttons?" Mimir shouted, his voice muffled by the bodies around him.

"Who said that?" One alien called out.

"I think I can." Said another.

"That's not a button, that's me...but I didn't say stop."

"Eeew."

"Got the button!"

"Nope. Me again."

"Eeeeeeew."

"I will punch my fist through all of you to reach that button if you do not hasten your efforts" Kratos warned.

"Ok, I think I got it."

A boop could be heard, and the elevator groaned into motion. The elevator played soft Latin music as the group's awkward silence grew deafening.

"Really?"

"What?"

"I think Grolp splunged."

"Aw, come on, Grolp!"

"What? I can't control when I splunge! It's an involuntary contraction!"

After what felt like hours for the increasingly impatient demigod, the doors opened. In his impatience, Kratos pushed the entire group out of the elevator with one quick shove. The group poured out onto the floor, and the elevator closed to go back down for the rest of the group.

Kratos entered the giant hangar. He looked over and saw the spasming Loki. He was drooling on the floor, an obedience disk hooked to his neck. Loki pointed his eyes to the remote located a few meters away. Kratos ran over and pressed the button on the remote, turning the disk off. Loki caught his breath and got himself off the floor.

"Who did this?" Kratos asked.

"Thor." Loki said, rubbing the red spot on his neck. "He left me here and threw away the remote. Granted, I suppose I deserved it..."

"Thor..." Kratos mumbled. Why would he leave Loki here? Kratos began to feel the anger rise in his stomach.

"Well, hey it worked out!" Mimir said, trying to keep his old friend calm. "Let's not make rash decisions."

"I will speak with Thor later, then I will decide how 'rash' I want to be." Kratos replied.

"There she is, our ticket out of here." Korg said, having made it to the hangar. Kratos turned to look at what Korg was pointing to. There stood a massive cruiser, its blue paint job chipped and worn.

"You are coming with us." Kratos said to Loki.

"Oh, don't worry, if we are going to Asgard, then I'll come willingly."

Kratos raised an eyebrow.

"Thor and I had a chat. I guess he told some harsh truths I needed to hear."

"What truths?" Kratos asked.

"Plenty of time for that later. Everybody on board! We head for the Anus!"

Kratos sighed as Loki turned to board the massive ship.

As the cruiser left the planet, the city below began to be torn apart. Had any of them looked down, they would have seen a small winged figure, swiping his sword through the air far above the city. With each swipe of his blade, the city below was torn apart by strips of red energy, obliterating buildings and people alike.

/

Heimdall raised Hofund to defend the remaining Asgardians, who were helplessly trapped on the rainbow bridge. They watched as Hela's undead berserkers closed in on them, quickly killing any Asgardians who took up arms against them. The crowd's weight began to push some civilians off the edge of the bridge as they backed further and further away from the approaching army. The inhuman stamina of the undead, coupled with the gurgling noise they made only served to create more panic.

Heimdall fought hard, killing dozens of the wights, but they kept coming, and a berserker's blade managed to slash his leg. Heimdall staggered but swung Hofund hard enough to kill two more before he was kicked to the ground. He shielded his face from the berserker above him, knowing full well it was a useless notion. He waited for the zombie's blade to strike, but instead of a blade hitting his body, it was the monster's head. He looked up and saw Kratos, the Blade of Olympus glowing in the fog.

"Nice sword." Kratos observed, looking at the gleaming Hofund.

"No need to be cheeky, Olympian" Heimdall replied, looking back at the massive Olmypian blade.

Kratos rested the Blade on his shoulder and offered a hand to the fallen Asgardian. Heimdall took it and got to his feet, still limping on his slashed leg.

"Now we are square." Kratos replied. He swung the Blade, shooting a blue beam of energy into the incoming horde of berserkers. The beam vaporized through their decaying bodies, instantly dropping an entire column of the undead.

The wind began to build as the sound of a massive engine filled the air. The Asgardians turned to see what was making the noise, only to see Loki, dressed in his royal horns and robes, arms outreached, floating towards them through the fog.

"YOUR SAVIOR IS HERE!" Loki called out to the crowd. As he flew closer, the hulking cruiser began to appear through the fog, with Loki standing on its balcony. Heimdall and Kratos both rolled their eyes in unison.

The cruiser lowered itself until Loki was able to lower a drawbridge for the crowd below. He stepped off, followed by the Sakaarian Gladiators.

"I bring reinforcements." Kratos said to Heimdall, turning back to face the incoming horde.

"I know. I saw." Heimdall replied, raising Hofund to meet the berserkers. The gladiators all fell into line alongside the two gods.

"Did you miss me?" Loki said, smiling at the crowd of frightened citizens. "Everybody onto that ship, now!"

The civilians all began to pour onto the drawbridge, clawing their way past each other to be first on. Loki didn't realize the gravity of their desperation, and almost got caught up in the panic. He managed to push his way past the crowd and walked up to Heimdall and Kratos.

"Welcome home. I saw you coming." Heimdall said, not taking his eyes away from the charging army before them.

"Of course you did." Loki replied, pulling two blades from his sleeves.

Kratos brought his blade down onto the berserkers as they charged into the fighting line, slicing one cleanly in half. He stabbed the Blade of Olympus into the ground, sending a wave of blue power rippling through the enemy army, ripping armor and bones from bodies, and pushing dozens of berserkers off the edge of the bridge. Heimdall and the gladiators followed suit and held the berserkers back with volleys of plasma and steel. Kratos charged ahead of his allies, equipped the Nemean Cestuses and threw them to the left and right. The gauntlets hit the bridge with a metallic clank as the chains rattled and fell silent. The undead army approached, then stopped to observe the calm warrior in front of them who had just thrown away his weapons. They looked at the gauntlets, then back to Kratos, then resumed their charge, their decaying vocal cords snarling and grunting with each useless breath they took.

Kratos waited until the horde was but meters away, then he grabbed the chains in his hands and slammed the two gauntlets together. Kratos could almost see the realization on the berserker's faces as the Cestuses met together, creating a sonic wave powerful enough to blast away everything in the vicinity. The charge of the army was halted as the blast pushed any berserkers that didn't get vaporized backward into their brothers. Kratos could hear the gladiators catching up with him as they finished off the stragglers. As the remaining undead staggered to their feet, he felt the heat of plasma arc past him into the shuffling bodies of Hela's berserkers, ripping apart body parts and cutting through armor. Kratos looked down at the upper half of a berserker that managed to crawl up to him. He rested his foot on its face and pressed. The berserker squealed loudly as its head cracked apart, then crumpled completely under Kratos' boot.

"Another wave, brother." Mimir noticed as the ground rumbled once again with the sound of hundreds of shuffling feet. He turned to the black wall of undead that came down the bridge to meet them. Some berserkers were pushed off the sides of the bridge by the inertia of their feral brothers.

Kratos looked to the gladiators, who were all breathing heavily. Heimdall was limping, but still in the fight. Loki seemed unhurt. Only about half of the thousands of Asgardian civilians had made it onto the skinny gangplank onto the cruiser.

"Prepare." Kratos said. The group readied their weapons.

The ground began to shake again, but not from the horde of undead. It came from the sky. The clouds above began to darken and rumble with the energy of a massive storm. A titanic bolt of lightning struck the King's Palace, destroying the walls and shooting hundreds of tons of material into the air. The bolts of electricity engulfed the entire city as they arced from the palace. The sound of the lightning hit the group like a shockwave, louder than any thunder Kratos had ever heard. He squinted his eyes and saw a figure flying from the destruction. It was Thor, but not as Kratos had ever seen him. Something had changed. Thor dropped down into the horde, the lightning that surrounded him scorching a dozen berserkers and blasting back a dozen more.

"YOU!" Kratos called out. "You left Loki to die on that planet!"

"I knew you would find him on your way to the hangar!" Thor said, grabbing a berserker by the neck and letting the lightning from his hand rip away at its body.

"You left him spasming on the ground!" Kratos said, punching a berserker's head clean off.

"Loki would have betrayed us all had I not done so!" Thor explained, throwing the charred berserker corpse into a group of undead. "Long story. I wouldn't have left him if it wasn't necessary."

"Then I will be the one to ensure he doesn't do so in the future. Not you!" Kratos yelled back, grabbing a berserker and ripping it in half.

"Fine by me!" Thor replied.

"YOU...are missing an eye!"

"Don't remind me!"

From the other side of the bridge, the Grandmaster's Commodore began to spew fireworks into the air. Brunnhilde appeared from inside the broken ship, Dragonfang in hand. She managed to take down a couple of berserkers before joining the defending line. Volleys of plasma from the gladiators plowed into the oncoming horde as Olympian, Asgardians, and Sakaarians fought back the wave of undead. With the Blades of Chaos in hand, Kratos jumped above the horde, then drove the blades into the ground, sending fire into the rows of berserkers, burning away what little flesh they had left and creating a shockwave powerful enough to grind bones into dust.

"Bunch of show-offs. Taking all the kills." Brunnhilde said to Heimdall as the two cut through the enemy. Heimdall looked to Kratos and Thor, who were well ahead of them, mowing down zombies like they were dandelions.

"Fine by me. The less work we have to do, the more energy we have for when she shows up." Heimdall replied, pulling Hofund from the gut of a berserker.

"Who shows up?" Brunnhilde asked.

"Her." Loki replied, looking to the far side of the bridge.

Kratos decapitated one of the last berserkers. He looked for a third wave, but saw only Hela, wearing her full battle armor, and looking quite displeased.

Thor looked in horror as the woman he just escaped from came back for more.

"I think we should disband the Revengers." Thor stated, looking nervous.

"Just hit her with a lightning blast." Loki stated.

"I just hit her with the biggest lightning blast in the history of lightning blasts, it did nothing." Thor replied.

"We need to hold her off until everybody's on board." Brunnhilde said to the remaining defenders, looking back to the crowd of civilians who still hadn't boarded the cruiser.

"We need to stop her here and now, not just hold her off. As long as she's alive, she will hunt us." Thor argued.

"I know your lore. There is an easier way to be rid of her. But it is...bad." Kratos said.

"Brother, no!" Mimir exclaimed. "There has to be a better way than that!"

"If Asgard is what's giving her power, then Asgard must fall." Thor agreed, looking towards what had been his home for so many centuries. "The vault. Surtr's crown."

"Bold move, brother. Even for me." Loki said, running off for the Commodore.

"Loki!" Kratos called out. He turned to Thor. "Can you handle the crone?"

"Go, make sure he doesn't try to run." Thor said, his eye turning blue with electric power. "We will hold her off for as long as we can."

Kratos nodded and followed after his son. Loki looked back and rolled his eyes.

"Leave me alone, old man! I don't need to be babysat!"

"You have a habit of lying."

"This is more important than petty trickery! Trust that I will do this."

"I will trust it when I see it."

The two ran into the Commodore, which groaned as it took off, but still seemed skyworthy.

"This is madness." Loki said, steering the small corvette to the palace.

"Why, because you won't sit on the throne if we accomplish our task?" Kratos replied cynically.

"No. Because we are about to wake up a giant fire monster to kill my sister and destroy my home. Why don't you just decapitate her, and all of this will be over!"

"She may just walk it off," Mimir mentioned. "I'm not sure what kills the goddess of death."

"We may fail. Ragnarok will not." Kratos chimed in. "Thor wants his home destroyed, we will destroy it."

"As long as it saves my people." Loki sighed.

"And you care?" Kratos asked.

"I'm not a monster, old man. I'm greedy, but...I'm not cruel. At least...I don't think I am…"

"Hmf."

They landed the ship at the gates of the palace. The door was destroyed, and they entered easily, walking through the shattered glass and crushed stone. Loki looked at the pile of rubble where the throne used to sit. He sighed and kept moving. They followed the stairs to the lowest level. Loki pressed his hand to the giant door that led to the vault, which recognized Loki's royal DNA and opened. Inside, the dark room surged with eldritch power from all the artifacts that were held within. Kratos felt a familiar feeling. He stood still and listened for the faint noise he could hear from inside. Loki ran past him to find Surtr's head, but Kratos didn't notice. Out of the dead silence of the vault, he heard a voice. A lullaby. A song he hadn't heard since...

"Faye?"

Kratos followed the sound of the voice, past the columns and artifacts, until he reached the back wall. On a pedestal, like all the other artifacts, rested an axe. An axe he hadn't seen in thousands of years. An axe he hadn't seen since that night. The night Faye died. He picked up the axe from its holder, and felt the cold of the blade on his fingertips. The voice stopped singing, and he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Kratos sighed and rested his hand on top of the ghostly hand on his shoulder.

"The world is madness, Faye. Our son is walking the path of so many gods before him. The path of power and greed. The path of Zeus and Hela and...me. What do I do?"

A whisper came from the darkness

"Save him."

"Save...him? How?"

"Well you can let go of my hand for one!" Said Loki from behind. Kratos looked at the hand on his shoulder. It was Loki's hand as he tried to pull his father to the exit. Surtr's head began to shake and rumble as it sat in the Eternal Flame. Kratos let go of Loki's hand, who pulled his hand away and shook it violently.

"You are...REALLY strong. Ow..." Loki mumbled as he nursed his crushed hand. Kratos looked to the darkness. The singing was gone. The vault was silent. He looked at the axe in his hand. Save him. From what? When?

"Come on, dad, let's leave before he wakes up!"

Kratos looked as Surtr's head began to grow in size. He followed Loki out of the vault and out into the quaking palace. Kratos didn't notice the disappearance of a certain tesseract, strangely missing from its pedestal within the quaking vault.

/

"You can't defeat me." Hela announced as an out-of-breath Thor limped away from her.

"No," He groaned. "But he can."

As soon as he spoke, the palace of Asgard exploded in a titanic burst of flame. The entirety of Asgard shook, setting Hela off-balance. As she struggled to regain her composure, Brunnhilde jumped from behind a pile of the dead, and stabbed her through the chest, pinning her to the bridge with Dragonfang. Hela groaned and focused her eyes on the woman who just stuck her.

"Huh, so it doesn't kill her." Brunnhilde said to herself, remembering Kratos' words from before. As Hela reached to form a blade, Thor zapped the bridge with a bolt of his newly-discovered power. The bridge beneath her cracked and buckled, and Hela fell into the ocean below.

/

Loki started the engines of the Commodore. The sound of whirring machinery, a pop and a sputter was all the ship could muster.

"Great. Well, it was nice knowing you." Loki said, leaning back in his chair and waiting for their inevitable demise.

"Do not hasten to your death so quickly, boy." Kratos said. As he spoke, the Stark Enterprises wing chassis, still attached to his armor, activated. The wings popped out, the jets sprang to life and Kratos motioned for Loki to get on.

"I am not piggybacking on you."

"Then I will drag you by your feet."

/

"This is humiliating, you know." Loki said as Kratos carried him over the city. The helmet warned him how little fuel his wings had left to propel them towards the cruiser.

"I suppose letting you go would be preferable?" Kratos replied.

Loki sighed and held on.

Kratos watched as Surtr, now fully formed, swung his blade into the city. The single swing of the massive sword crushed dozens of homes.

"I AM YOUR DOOM, ASGARD!" The voice of the fire giant rang through the air.

"Kratos, the fuel levels are getting extremely low." The helmet warned. "I'm uncertain if you can make it to the cruiser."

Kratos hit full throttle, and the two rocketed towards the cruiser. As the two hurtled through the sky, the wing's engines began to sputter, then die. Kratos pulled out a blade and threw it at the hull of the ship. The blade managed to reach, sticking into the hull, and dragging the two behind it. With one hand, Kratos pulled himself and Loki up the chain until they reached the hull.

Hulk landed gracefully onto the ship's hangar, putting Brunnhilde and Thor down. The two were exhausted and didn't hear the thunk thunk sound coming from outside. Hulk turned around with curiosity and looked out the opening. There was Loki, hanging onto Kratos' back, the Blades of Chaos being used to claw their way to the opening.

"Hey, puny god!" Hulk said as he pointed and laughed at Loki's situation.

"You know what? Let me drop. I'll take my chances with Surtr." Loki said as Hulk cheered them on.

Kratos reached the opening and Hulk pulled them in. Loki dusted himself off.

"Boo!" Hulk yelled as he reached for Loki. Loki flinched, then cringed as Hulk began to walk away, roaring with laughter.

The ship blasted away from Asgard as Hela and Surtr duked it out. Surtr plunged his sword into the earth, laughing maniacally as he did so. The realm of Asgard rumbled, then exploded in a ball of light. Kratos and Loki watched from the window.

"Well, I guess we have at least one thing in common now." Loki frowned and said to Kratos. "We both helped destroy our homes."

"Hmf." Kratos replied. "You did it to save your people. I did it to destroy mine."

"Tell me," Loki said after a pause. "Why did you do it?"

"My father was a cruel and petty god, like so many other gods. I sought revenge. I will speak no more of it." Kratos replied.

"And what did it feel like, getting revenge against your father? For all that wrong, all the lies and betrayals?"

"It felt..." Kratos thought for a moment. "It felt empty. The wrongs remained. The lies and betrayals...remained. Nothing changed."

Loki looked down, the answer he wanted to hear was desperately missing from Kratos' answer.

"No satisfaction at all?" Loki said, looking back to Kratos.

"No." Kratos replied, not taking his eyes off the exploding world.

"Hmm." Loki looked back to the floor.

The two watched the planet slowly expand into a ball of molten rocks and debris.

"Who was my mother?" Loki asked after some time.

"Why do you care now?"

"Space is big. We have time, I guess."

"Very well. Your mother...was a warrior of great cunning and skill. She was a witch of many talents. She taught me more things than many years of battle ever could. When you were born, she made this."

Kratos pulled the axe from his belt. Loki looked at it, feeling the cold breach the distance between him and the blade.

"She said when you were ready, you were to have this."

"What did she mean, 'when I was ready'?"

"I do not know. She said I would know when you were."

"It's a little bulky for my taste." Loki observed.

"Those horns on your crown tell a different story." Kratos stated.

Loki smirked. "Got me there, I suppose."

Kratos put the axe back onto his belt. Loki looked over and frowned.

"You're not gonna give it to me?"

"No."

"I actually kind of want it now, though."

"No."

"But my birth mother made it for me, you just said."

"This is the last thing of your birth mother in this world. You are not having it. Not yet."

"Really?"

"You are not having it."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Come on. I'm half Frost Giant, and what better tool for a Frost Giant than a frost axe?"

"No."

/

Thor poured himself a drink. He looked in the mirror and rubbed his new eyepatch. It itched, but he assumed that would go away over time. In the mirror, he noticed a figure appear behind him.

"It suits you." Loki said from behind. Thor turned to face his brother.

"Maybe you're not so bad after all. Brother." Thor said calmly.

"Maybe not." Loki replied. "Perhaps I was wrong about him too."

"I was wrong about him once. Then I spent time with him. You would do well to spend time with him too."

"I may just do that."

"We couldn't have saved them all without you. I would give you a hug if you were here." Thor said, grabbing a decoration from his desk and tossing it at Loki. Loki caught the object and grinned.

"I'm here." he said.

/

"Well, after two thousand years, you finally had your chance to destroy Asgard. How did it feel?" Mimir asked as Kratos sat at the window of his quarters.

"It had to be done. But it was...therapeutic." Kratos replied, glad to be out of his armor and in something comfortable.

"Now to figure out what to do about Thanos."

"Loki is our only concern now."

"Brother, don't make me lecture you again about this."

"The Asgardians are safe. We have met many warriors on our journey. The wizard, the Valkyrie, the Avengers. The Hulk has been found. The odds grow in our favor. Thanos will be dealt with without my aid. I will take Loki to a safe planet, and we will stay there."

"Brother…Earth needs you. You said yourself they were doomed."

"If you were a father, would you not do the same?"

"I-"

"There is no more to discuss."

The two sat for a moment.

"Fine." Mimir finally said.

"Fine." Kratos replied.

There was another long silence. Suddenly, a shadow began to loom through Kratos' window. Something massive was blocking the light from the nearby star. And Kratos recognized the shape.

"No…" Mimir whispered.

"You got your wish, head." Kratos grumbled as he reached for his armor.


	15. The End Begins

**15**

**The End Begins**

"Just hold them off until we can jump again! Brace for evasive maneuvers!" Thor yelled over the loudspeakers.

The citizens running past Kratos all stumbled to the left as the cruiser rolled to evade the incoming broadside. Despite the maneuvers, the ship wasn't built for speed, and it received the full brunt of the blast. The ship's bulkheads groaned and creaked as the hull integrity suffered. Coolant steam sprang from the piping lining the wall as anything not bolted down was flung to the left.

"Ghost, we have reports of boarding on deck twelve. You're the closest one." Brunnhilde's voice came over the comms in Kratos's helmet.

"I'm heading there." Kratos replied, his brisk walk turning into a run. As he turned the corner, a door was blasted open. The nearby Asgardians were blown away by shrapnel and fire as the door blew apart. Kratos steadied himself as Chitauri grunts came pouring out of the door. Kratos aimed Faye's axe at the aliens, who were busy picking off the surviving Asgardians not hit by the explosion. The helmet acquired his targets, and he threw the axe with both hands at the horde. The axe hit the first alien, lopping its head off, then spun back around and sliced another Chitauri in half. The aliens were so panicked by the flying axe that they didn't notice Kratos walking up to one of them. Kratos punched through the chest of the nearest Chitauri, grabbed its plasma rifle and opened fire on the boarding party. The combined efforts of the Leviathan axe and plasma fire dropped the two-dozen creatures in a few seconds. Kratos pulled his hand out of the gut of the alien and reached his hand towards the axe. The axe vibrated, then flew from the alien corpse it was stuck in, across the hall, back into Kratos' hand.

As he whipped the dark blood off of his hand, he heard a whimpering voice on the floor. It was an Asgardian, covered from head to toe in third-degree burns. His legs were gone and his eyes were burnt away. Shrapnel peppered one side of his body. Kratos took the axe, walked up to the suffering Asgardian, and cut his head off. The body stopped quivering after a second and lay quiet on the floor.

"It had to be done." Mimir half-whispered.

"Yes." Kratos replied quietly.

Kratos continued his way through the blasted door into the galley. What was once a luxury cruiser's enormous dining area had become a burning hall of plasma damage and dead civilians. Kratos looked through the enormous windows. He watched as another volley of plasma fire from the Sanctuary rammed the cruiser's hull. With the turbulence of the impact, the large windows began to crack. Kratos ran for the exit, but the window quickly lost its strength and was torn away into space, followed by everything inside the room. Kratos was instantly pushed towards the window by the air around him. He lobbed a blade at the hull as he blew past. The blade caught hold, leaving Kratos hanging by the chain in the cold emptiness of space. Mimir's eyes opened wide as the unforgiving vacuum of space froze his decapitated head instantly.

Kratos's eyes followed as a boarding ship launched from the Sanctuary and rammed the cruiser, drilling its way through the hull.

"Helmet. How much fuel do I have left?"

"You have enough for three short bursts, but after that, you're dead in the water." The helmet replied.

"Get me to that boarding craft."

Kratos felt the lurch as the jets on his armor shoot him after the boarding craft. A bright light shined across the hull of the cruiser, and Kratos looked over to see another volley of plasma from Sanctuary's main battery. The helmet calculated the paths of the incoming plasma and shot Kratos out of the way before the rounds streaked past where he was just floating. The shields were already weakened by previous volleys, and gave way for a brief moment. Without the few short seconds of shielding, the cruiser's hull was blasted dead-on with a wall of superheated matter. The hull was blasted apart in a white explosion, and a crowd of Asgardians came pouring out of the damaged hull into the void.

"Can we save any?" Kratos asked.

"If you want to get back into that ship, you will have to use the last burst to get there. Those civilians are already dead." The helmet replied in that cold female voice.

Kratos looked back at the Asgardians as they were shot further and further into the cold emptiness. He knew their morphology allowed them to survive in space much longer than any mortal could. It would be a long and slow death for them. He turned his head away and shot back to the cruiser.

The Chitauri waited inside their cramped boarding craft as it drilled through the cruiser's hull. Eventually, the violent shake of the plasma drill ended and the craft thudded onto solid ground. The front of the craft opened up to reveal the cruiser's hangar. As the Chitauri readied themselves to fight in glorious conquest, they heard a thud from behind. They all turned around to watch as two flaming swords cut through the back of their boarding craft.

Brunnhilde ran up to the boarding craft that just burst through the hull, but was confused when she saw no Chitauri burst forth. She squinted to see what was going on, but could only make out the purple flashes of plasma and the screaming of alien voices coming from inside. Finally, the screaming stopped and a Chitauri head came rolling out of the craft's open door, followed by a river of Chitauri blood. Kratos stepped off, landing gracefully onto the ship's deck, drenched in purple blood, the Blades of Chaos steaming and sizzling in his hands.

"Thor, I made it to the entry point, but, uh...score one for the Slayer, I guess." Brunnhilde said over the comms as Kratos stretched out his shoulders.

"Are you well?" He asked, noticing her wounds.

"It's been a long day, but I'll be just fine." She responded. "Come on, there's more where they came from."

"I'm just fine too, thanks..." Mimir mumbled as his face began to thaw.

The ship groaned again as another volley hit the hull.

"The ship's back is broken," Thor's voice came over the comms. "I can't jump away without her ripping herself apart. Get the civilians to the escape pods! We _will_ get out of this!"

"It's him! He's-" Another voice screamed as the radio went static.

"He's heading for the bridge!" Another unknown voice called out "Repeat! He's hea-"

Kratos and Brunnhilde looked at each other and sprinted for the bridge.

"This is the As...dian refugee vessel _Statesman_." The distress call rang in Kratos' ears. "We are under assault, I repeat, we...ssault! The engines are dead, life sup...failing. Requ...any vessel within range. We are 22 jump poi...Asgard. Our crew is Asgar...families, we... few soldiers...This is _not_ a warcraft. I repeat, this is not a warcraft!"

Kratos charged through the burning halls, past the numerous dead, past the burning tables and steaming pipes. Any Chitauri that got in his way were dealt with without a moment to waste. The S.O.S, the gunfire and the screams over the comms went deathly silent.

"Hear me, and rejoice." A familiar voice came over the ship's loudspeakers. Kratos ' teeth clenched with the sound of that voice.

"You have had the privilege of being saved by the Great Titan." Ebony's snark voice continued. "You may think this is suffering...no. it is salvation. Universal scales tip toward balance because of your sacrifice. Smile...for even in death, you have become Children of Thanos."

The two passed by a group of surviving Asgardian children, running through the halls in a panic. One was screaming for her mother. Kratos picked up a dagger from a nearby Chitauri corpse.

"Follow me." Kratos said, putting the dagger away as Brunnhilde grabbed the youngest in her arms. They ran until they came across the route to the escape pods.

"I'll take them. Go help Thor." Brunnhilde barked. Taking off his helmet, Kratos got on one knee, took the oldest of the group and gave him the dagger.

"Survive." He said, putting both hands on the boy's shoulder. "You are now their protector. Be strong for them."

Kratos looked to the children as they followed behind Brunnhilde. The boy looked to the children, then to Kratos. He nodded and ran to catch up with the others. Kratos stood up and sprinted his way back to the bridge.

Kratos approached the blasted-open doors of the bridge. Nothing remained of the command systems; the room was nothing but fire, piles of rubble, sparking wires and burnt bodies. Kratos quietly looked around the corner. There was Thanos, looking over the defeated Hulk and he lay in a crater in the ground. Thor was restrained by a metal cage made from the scrap metal of the room's broken machinery. Kratos looked to Heimdall, also laying defeated on a pile of rubble. Heimdall turned his head to look at Kratos. Kratos watched Heimdall shake his head and mouth the words "not yet". Kratos' brows furrowed in confusion as Heimdall looked away. Heimdall muttered something, then the Hulk disappeared in a flash of light resembling the Bifrost. Thanos looked to the crippled Heimdall.

"That was a mistake." Thanos said curtly as he Grabbed Corvus' spear and ran Heimdall through. Heimdall gasped, then turned to Kratos. Kratos gave the dying soldier the honour of the eye contact as he died.

"You're going to die for that!" Thor roared, fighting against his restraints. As he spoke, a piece of metal unraveled itself from the cage and twisted until it was over Thor's mouth. Ebony grinned and put his finger over his mouth.

"Shh." Ebony whispered. After Ebony finished his work with Thor, he turned to Thanos and presented him the Tesseract.

"My humble personage bows before your grandeur." Ebony began, lowering his head as Thanos took the tesseract from his hands. "No other being has ever had the might, nay the nobility, to wield not one, but two Infinity Stones. The universe lies within your grasp."

"What are you doing, brother?!" Mimir whispered. "Stop him!"

Kratos stayed put. He didn't know why Heimdall told him to wait, or why he sent Hulk away, but he knew something.

Thanos crushed the tesseract with one hand, grinding the blue cube into dust. From within the dust, a small blue stone revealed itself. Thanos picked up the stone and placed it in a slot on his gauntlet. The room lit up with blue light as Thanos staggered from the power he just absorbed.

"There are two more stones on Earth." Thanos said, turning to the Black Order. "Find them, my children. Bring them to me on Titan."

"We will not fail you." Proxima replied.

"If I might interject..." A voice came from the darkness of the room. Kratos flinched, but waited, not sure what Loki was doing.

"If you're going to Earth," Loki continued. "You might want a guide. I do have a bit of experience in that arena."

"If you consider failure experience." Thanos responded disappointedly. The Order all sneered.

"I consider experience, experience." Loki argued.

Loki approached Thanos as Thor looked helplessly on.

"Almighty Thanos, I, Loki, Prince of Asgard...Odinson...the rightful King of Jotunheim, God of Mischief, do hereby pledge to you, my undying fidelity."

Kratos watched as Loki bowed before Thanos, then materialized a dagger in his hand. He looked to Thanos, who had a smug look on his face. Loki paused, then stabbed upward with the dagger straight for Thanos' brain.

Thanos was ready and had the space stone already in place to halt Loki's blade in mid-thrust. Loki was held in place as the blue energy projected from the stone held the dagger inches from his face.

"Undying." Thanos repeated. "You should choose your words more carefully."

With that, Thanos grabbed the dagger and twisted it out of Loki's hand. Thanos' huge hand grabbed Loki's comparatively small neck and lifted him off the ground.

"NO!" A roar came from the door. Thanos turned to see Kratos charging him, the flames on the Blades of Chaos glowing purple, and his aura glowing with the power of a supernova.

"You!"

Thanos dropped Loki and turned to face the new threat. With a blue glow, he flicked the gauntlet toward Kratos. Kratos felt himself fall straight through Thanos, and through the floor, as if he were a ghost. He dropped to the deck below and looked up. He aimed for where Thanos was standing, threw the blades into the ceiling and pulled down. The ceiling above collapsed as the blades ripped the metal and concrete apart. Thanos came down in a heap of rubble and fell with a thud onto his back. Before Thanos could recover, Kratos was on top of him. The blades were millimeters from Thanos' face before he managed to put up a blue field around himself. Kratos felt his entire body grind to a halt as the Space Stone held him in mid air for but a millisecond. Kratos pulled his arm back for another strike. Thanos immediately placed his foot on Kratos' chest, and with the Power Stone fueling his body, he kicked Kratos away. Kratos launched the blades at the floor and ceiling to break his velocity. The blades caught the metal and sliced some distance before stopping him. Thanos stood up and looked at his enemy.

"The 'Hero of Xandar'. Where did you get that power?" Thanos asked, looking at the creature before him. The aura of sheer power surrounding Kratos wasn't something he had seen outside of the Infinity Stones themselves. The metal began to melt around Kratos' feet as the Rage of Eternity fueled his anger. His eyes were a bright white and the light of the hall seemed to bend around his gravity.

"You get an upgrade, I get an upgrade. Thankfully, mine is better." Thanos said, raising the gauntlet in the air. A flash of purple lit the ship. Kratos ran for Thanos, his speed creating enough air pressure to warp the walls behind him. Thanos smiled weakly, and in a flash of blue and a cloud of blackness, he was gone. Kratos threw the axe at the portal as it closed, but it flew straight through the black cloud and stuck into the wall behind it.

"NO!" Kratos roared as the portal vanished. He watched through the window as the Sanctuary's shadow moved away from view. Kratos' rage turned to urgency as the Power Stone's magic began to take more and more of a hold, forming cracks in the hull and tearing the ship apart. Kratos recalled the axe, looked to the hole leading to the bridge, and jumped up.

"LOKI!" Kratos called out, looking frantically for his son.

"Over here!" Thor called out in a hoarse voice, holding Loki in his arms. "He's alive!"

Kratos ran over and picked both exhausted Asgardians off the ground. The floor around him began to give as purple destruction wrapped around his ankles.

"Valkyrie! Are you still there?!" Kratos called out, running through the crumbling halls to the escape pods. Nothing but static replied back.

"I can't find a viable route to the escape pods. The ship has lost 97% of its integrity." The helmet spoke as Kratos desperately tried to outrun the destruction that engulfed him.

"Can't wait to find out how long a magic head can survive in space…" Mimir mumbled.

"Wait! Let me think." Kratos said. He looked down to the unconscious Loki.

"We have about 15 seconds before the ship goes critical. Whatever you're thinking about, I would do it fast." The helmet warned.

Kratos felt something stir inside him. Rage and...something else.

/

Thanos looked out from his seat on the bridge of Sanctuary. He watched on the screen as the small cruiser broke apart from the inside, purple flame springing from multiple holes in its hull. Then, his grin turned to confusion as a small glowing figure burst from the hull and flew off into the cosmos, quickly disappearing from sight before the cruiser exploded in a brilliant purple ball of fire and metal.

"Pause footage!" Thanos said suddenly, standing up from his chair. "Reverse. Keep going. There! There...what was that?"

Thanos pointed at the small dot of light on the screen.

"See for yourself, father." Nebula said, zooming the footage to the figure.

"How...fascinating. Can we pursue them?" Thanos asked, walking up to the screen. He squinted and stared at the still image of Kratos. Giant, glowing ethereal wings sprouting from his back, Thor and Loki in his arms.

"They have outreached our long-range sensors, lord." Nebula replied, hesitantly. Thanos sighed and sat back down.

"Then, once again, the 'Hero of Xandar' will have to wait. Chart a jump course for Knowhere."

"Yes, father."


	16. Berhert

**16**

**Berhert**

"I can honestly say, space makes Hel feel like a tropical vacation." Mimir commented as his mouth began to thaw. Kratos staggered to his feet.

"Where are we?" Thor croaked, brushing off the charred dust coating his battered armor.

"I do not know." Kratos said as he looked around. It was dark. Four moons of different sizes lit the night sky with a white glow. He looked down, at the deep crater they created when the three gods slammed into the planet's surface. Loki regained consciousness and immediately leaped from the dirt, knives in hand. When he realized Thanos was gone, he calmed down and began to take in the dark surroundings.

"What...wh-" Loki said. "Th- the ship? Thanos-?"

"The ship is gone. We may be all that is left of the crew." Kratos said sternly.

"Thanos...Thanos will pay for what he's done." Thor mumbled, rubbing his temple to ease the ache ringing in his head.

"Helmet. What is our situation?" Kratos asked, climbing his way out of the crater. Beyond the scorched crater lay temperate forest, laid out in every direction.

"I might be able to triangulate our coordinates and distance from Earth if I can get a better look at the stars. We will need to get above the vegetation."

"And the planet?" Kratos asked, touching his hand to a nearby tree.

"The air composition, temperature, and humidity are remarkably similar to earth's temperate rainforests. The statistical likelihood of crashing here is astronomical." The helmet replied.

"Smell that fresh air, untainted by technology and pollution. Brings back memories of the old country." Mimir sighed as he sniffed the air. "Can you smell that?"

"I can. But there is something else…" Kratos said, scanning the dark forest around them. There was something strangely familiar about this forest, a feeling he last felt on Xandar, but he couldn't place it.

"Where are we?" Loki said, pulling his exhausted body out of the crater towards Kratos.

"I do not know. But be on your guard. I don't believe we are alone." Kratos said, his eyes not leaving the darkness of the forest.

"I detect no signs of intelligent life." The helmet stated. "No heat signatures, light or noise pollution. At least, none that my sensors can detect."

"I feel it too, brother. It's on the tip of my tongue…" Mimir whispered, the light from his eyes providing Kratos some illumination through the trees.

Kratos continued to scan the area, but it soon became apparent nothing was coming. He relaxed and turned to Loki. Thor could be seen in the distance, pacing back and forth.

"Are you well?" Kratos asked, putting one hand on Loki's shoulder.

"No, I am not well. Asgard is gone, and for what? Release me!" Loki stated, flinching away as Kratos inspected Loki's neck. Kratos let go and sighed.

"What you did on the ship was foolish," Kratos started. "And it almost cost you your life."

"I am the god of mischief, if I wanted Thanos to be fooled, I would have fooled him. I wanted him to catch me." Loki said, rolling his eyes.

Kratos paused. "What-"

"I served Thanos, I know his motives. I know his methods, or perhaps, 'his madness' is a better choice of words." Loki said, looking into Kratos' eyes.

"Explain."

Loki sighed. "Thanos wishes to see half of the universe's life extinguished. If half of Odin's lineage was killed-"

"The other half would live. Thor would be spared." Mimir jumped in.

"Exactly." Loki replied.

"And if you were wrong?" Kratos asked.

"It was worth a try." Loki said, looking warmly over to his brother. Thor was in the distance, yelling to the sky, lamenting for the lost.

"That is not like you. To sacrifice yourself for others." Kratos mumbled.

"And you know everything about me, after knowing me for a few weeks?" Loki said dismissively.

"I was in New York when you led the Chitauri! I learned much of you that day..." Kratos said, trying to repress his anger. Tamara's face returned to his thoughts. "_That_ Loki was not one for self-sacrifice."

Loki looked down to the ground. "_That_ Loki was lost. Without purpose. When father- when Odin died… something changed. Then Ragnarok… and Thanos...I guess _that _Loki grew up. I realized who my family really was, and what really mattered."

"You killed many while you were 'lost'. Some I grew to care for." Kratos mumbled.

"Then I suppose we are more like each other than either of us would like to admit." Loki sighed.

Kratos sighed and backed off.

The two stood there. The trees rustled with a passing gust of wind. Thor could be seen moving to the treeline. In his grief, he staggered and held his hand to a tree for balance.

"You are no good to your family dead." Kratos stated. "You are also...all I have left of mine. All Thor has left of his. For better or worse, you are my son. Do not risk your life so rashly."

Loki frowned as he continued to look at the ground. "I couldn't save any of them. To think that I could have ever called myself king…I could have done anything, but I just sat there and watched as Thanos...I should have done more."

"You would have died along with the rest of them and would have achieved nothing. You survived."

Kratos took a step towards the defeated Loki.

"If we are able to find survivors, they will need leadership. They will need you. Do not let your mind be clouded with doubt. That is not the way of a king."

Loki looked up, composed himself, and nodded to his father. He looked over to Thor, still leaning against the tree.

"Go. He will need you as well." Kratos said, looking to Thor.

In a blast of light, Loki was by his brother, placing a hand on Thor's back as he stayed motionless against the tree.

"Perhaps there's hope for him yet, eh?" Mimir asked.

"Perhaps." Kratos huffed. "He is still a fool. Walking up to Thanos with...a knife."

"That's just a bit of his mother in him. Blindly running into danger without any thoughts of the consequences. Or maybe that's a little bit of you." Mimir contemplated.

"A bit of both." Kratos sighed.

"So are we looking for survivors?' Mimir asked.

"Tomorrow, we are looking for shelter and food."

"And Thanos?"

"Thanos may still pursue us. We must be ready."

"Have you changed your mind about rejoining the fight?"

Kratos stayed silent as the morning broke over the horizon.

"This world is hiding something. We must find out what." Kratos said, that same familiar feeling creeping through the silence of the trees.

/

"We need to find a way off this planet." Thor said as the three wandered the woods. "Thanos is coming for Midgard. The Avengers need us! Midgard needs us!"

"Our priority," replied Kratos, "is to find shelter. Unless you can forge a ship out of trees and mud, we are trapped here."

"Just do your fire wing thing and get us out of here!" Thor barked.

"It is not so simple." Kratos replied.

"Not so simple." Thor mocked. "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're afraid."

Kratos stopped walking. "Choose your next words carefully, boy."

"All you've cared about is yourself. Everything you've done, since you joined the Avengers has been based on your own desires!"

"Enough."

"Don't think I haven't noticed." Thor said, walking up to Kratos' face. "You abandoned us after New York!"

"Don't mistake my absence for greed, child!" Kratos yelled. "I fought Thanos before you knew what an Infinity Stone was! I traveled the stars so that the fight would end before it began!"

"You disappeared in the middle of our fight against Ultron!"

"Had I not, Artemis and her ilk would have killed everyone to get to me. I saved you all."

"And when you disappeared on Sakaar? Bruce was missing on an alien world, and you left. I'm not stupid, Ghost. You weren't sidetracked. Now Midgard is under threat. The Avengers are under threat! You know Thanos will swat them away like flies without us, and you care not. You want to stay here, of all places, and wait out the storm while the universe burns? What do you truly even care about? You're a coward."

"I CARE ABOUT MY SON!" Kratos roared. He couldn't contain himself. With one quick motion, his fist struck Thor across the face, sending him flying through the trees.

"AND I WILL _NOT _THROW HIM TO THE LIONS!"

When the splinters and leaves settled, Thor stood up and turned around, his eyes bright blue, lighting pulsing through his body. Red flame sprang from Kratos' fists as the two stared each other down.

"I will not stand idly by while Thanos ravages the galaxy!" Thor yelled.

"And I will not let Thanos kill my son!" Kratos yelled back.

The two ran for each other. Lightning and flame came but millimeters from clashing when the two were lobbed backwards by a wall of energy. The two were blasted back, slamming into the ground, rolling a ways before stopping.

"Will you two stop for one second?!" Loki roared. Thor and Kratos looked to Loki, who was projecting the energy field from his hand. "Perhaps we could resort to skull-bashing after you've heard MY OPINION?!"

The two got to their feet and stayed silent.

"Good! Now, I don't want to stay on this primitive forest planet any more than Thor does, so I say we find a way off as fast as possible."

"Thank you brother." Thor chimed in.

"I'm not finished." Loki added. "We get off this rock, and get the hell away from Thanos. We go visit Alfheim, have a vacation by one of the champagne springs, and wait for this whole thing to blow over."

"Loki." Thor said, taking a step towards his brother. "We cannot abandon the universe to its doom."

"You may be the last of the Asgardian race!" Loki pleaded. "The very last. If you die, Asgard dies."

Thor walked up to his brother and took him by the shoulders.

"I...I can't abandon them, no matter the cost."

"Come with me, brother. We can go to Alfheim, we can survive this." Loki begged quietly.

"You know that's not my way." Thor replied just as quietly.

"We can save ourselves."

"Maybe. Maybe Thanos wins and we all die, no matter if we fight on Midgard, or if we hide on Alfheim."

"Then...perhaps this is where we must part."

"It doesn't have to be."

"You said it yourself. Our paths parted long ago." Loki whispered.

Thor looked down.

"I would follow you to the end of the world, brother." Loki said softly. "I would save your life a million times, but this fight… it's futile. At least if we run, we have a fifty-fifty chance of surviving. If we go to Midgard, we face certain death."

"This is your choice?" Thor asked.

"It is, as strongly as your choice is yours." Loki replied.

"Then let's do this last thing. Let's get off this rock, together."

"That, I can do. Together."

The two pressed foreheads together. Loki turned to Kratos.

"You want me safe? We find a way to Alfheim. That's as safe as we'll get."

"Very well." Kratos conceded.

/

The awkward silence was deafening as the three wandered through the forest. With no path to follow through the untouched vegetation, there was little way to know where to go. The sounds of alien birdlife filled the air as the ceiling of the forest was lit up by the sun overhead.

"Let's play a game, pass the time a little." Loki said. "I spy, with-"

"I hate...I spy." Kratos grumbled.

"Alright then. Brother, perhaps you know a game that isn't associated with drinking?" Loki said, grinning at the agitated Thor.

"I am not in the mood." Thor said, his eyes darting left and right for signs of anything.

"You both are absolutely unbearable." Loki sighed. "Mimir? A game you enjoy?"

"I was fine with I Spy, actually." Mimir said jovially.

Kratos and Thor groaned.

"Good, then, it's settled! I spy with my little eye...a ship?" Loki said suddenly.

Kratos turned to look in the direction of Loki's pointing hand.

"I see nothing." Kratos replied.

"It's beyond these trees. Go look, you'll see it." Loki insisted.

Kratos approached the thick vegetation and began to push his way through, but the plants around him seemed to push back in resistance. Kratos grunted and pushed with increased fervor against the trees that stubbornly resisted. The trees ripped away from the ground as Kratos' godly strength overpowered them. The sound of snapping trunk overwhelmed his senses as the trees surrendered to his might, and the clearing opened up before him. He staggered out into the clearing, regaining his balance on the flat ground. He looked up to see a crashed ship, listing to one side, heavily damaged with burn marks and plasma fire. The path the ship had taken to crash into the planet had left a mile-long line of broken trees and upturned dirt. The stern of the craft had been blown open, revealing the cabin within.

"I don't think she'll fly, brothers." Mimir said skeptically.

"She'll fly. She must." Thor replied resolutely, walking up to the tattered hull and rubbing his hands over the surface.

"There's a hole blown in the back." Loki added.

"As long as the engines work, the hole is trivial. Nothing a slab of metal and some heat can't fix." Thor replied.

Kratos approached the broken glass of the ship's cockpit window. The seal was airtight, but the cracks and scratches rendered the window practically impossible to see through. A flash of light appeared out of the corner of Kratos' eye. He looked up to see Loki on top of the ship, bouncing on the wing.

"Well, it's sturdy." Loki said as he bounced up and down.

Suddenly, the wing began to creak as the whole ship's balance shifted to the other side. The wing smashed into the ground, sending Loki toppling off. The wing bent as it hit the ground, warping the metal and further damaging the delicate atmospheric maneuvering systems. Another flash of light and Loki was standing, brushing off the dirt from his robes.

"Sorry." He said, giving Thor an innocent look as Thor glared at him.

"I'm going to try and turn in on." Thor said, entering the cockpit and scanning the dashboard. "This looks like something."

Thor pressed the large green button on the dash, and he jumped as Redbone's 'Come and Get your Love' began to blast on the speakers of the cabin.

"That's not it. Um…hmm..." Thor mumbled to himself as he tried to remember how the old M-Class ship controls worked. After flipping some switches and turning a key, the engines sprang to life. The ship roared, then sputtered as the engines began to fail.

"GET DOWN!"

Kratos and Loki both ducked as one of the engines shook, then broke free of the ship's wing. The engine flew off, blasting through the trees, randomly shooting in every direction before running out of fuel and crashing to the ground far in the distance. Thor emerged from the smoking wreck of the ship, coughing and waving the smoke from his face.

"She...may need a...few repairs." He said in between coughs.

"Thor. This ship is a corpse." Kratos said, picking himself up off the ground.

"Brother, plug me into the ship!" Mimir said suddenly.

"What?"

"Plug me in, I'll figure out what's wrong with it."

"What's wrong with it is very clear." Kratos said, looking at the hole in the wing where the engine broke away.

"I know, but maybe she can tell me what to do to fix her. Worth a try."

Kratos huffed, then took Mimir from his belt.

"You plug into ships?" Thor asked, grabbing Mimir from Kratos.

"And computers, and a double-decker bus once. I guess it's an effect of the spell keeping me alive. Stick a wire in my nervous system and I can work wonders." Mimir replied.

"I never asked you how you...work. The 'living head' thing, I mean." Thor said, walking Mimir into the smoking wreck.

"To be honest, magic isn't my field of expertise, but I'll tell you a story about Laufey the Just that'll knock your socks off!" Mimir announced as he was carried into the ship.

Suddenly, the wind began to die.

"Do you feel that?" Loki said, turning his attention to the trees.

"I do." Kratos replied, suddenly feeling that familiar uneasiness around him. He pulled his blades from his back and spun around, but once again, the forest was the only thing that met his eyes.

"It is quiet." Kratos whispered.

"No wind, no birds, nothing." Loki added, pulling his blades from his arms.

The two scanned the treeline, dead silence filling the air.

"Good news!" Thor said, stepping off of the ship. "Well, bad news. Well, both. Which do you want to hear first?"

Kratos waited another few seconds, then relaxed his grip on the blades.

"The bad news first." Kratos said, turning back to Thor.

"The bad news is that the ship is irreversibly crippled." Thor said, forcing a smile and clapping his hands together. "The good news is, the distress beacon still works, so Mimir is working on that right now."

"How long?" Kratos asked.

"About five hours to set up the beacon, then...who knows after that." Thor replied. "Depends who picks up the signal, and how much they care."

"We may not have more than five hours." Kratos grunted as he looked up to the sky.

High above them, the sunny sky began to darken with clouds of an unnatural red colour. The once deadly quiet forest began to sway with freezing winds. Thunder could be heard in the distance as the leaves began to freeze with frost.

"We cannot stay here. Something is coming." Kratos warned.

"Something we can agree on." Thor said, readying himself.

"What is this devilry?" Loki whispered.

Kratos finally recognized the uneasiness he was feeling. The dark feeling he felt on Xandar. The dark feeling he felt when he held that blade.

"Abaddon." Kratos whispered to himself.

"Who?" Loki and Thor said in unison.

"Prepare yourselves."

Kratos walked up to Loki and grabbed the axe from his belt.

"You will need this. Protect it, and it will protect you." Kratos said, handing the axe over.

"I thought you said I wasn't ready."

"Now, it does not matter. I'm not sure what we are up against. Take it."

Loki looked at the axe. He went to grab it. His hand wrapped around the handle, but Kratos didn't let go.

"Protect. It." Kratos said slowly, staring into Loki's eyes.

Loki nodded as Kratos' grip loosened on the axe. The sky had grown red and the ground had grown hard with frost. The wind had grown to such a point that the trees seemed bent in half with the strength of the gusts.

"WELL, WELL, WELL." A voice came booming from the sky. "I EXPECTED A SPACE-FARING CIVILIZATION HERE, BUT ALL I FIND ARE THREE WEAK, LITTLE PAGANS."

An unholy laugh erupted from the sky as the three braced for battle.

"I WILL ARRIVE SOON. IN THE MEANTIME, ENJOY THE PRE-GAME SHOW."

As soon as the voice finished speaking, the darkness began to grow even more black as thousands of bodies emerged from the endless forest. With each flash of lightning, Kratos made out more details. Their faces were distorted satires of reality. Black eyes and rotting flesh. Piercings and chains draping from their noses and ears. Many of them had demonic script carved into their skin. Pikes and swords shone in the lightning as they approached. The red glow of the Blades of Chaos illuminated the horde as they drew nearer and nearer.

"By all that is good, can't we catch a break?!" Thor screamed over the rumble of the advancing army.

As they reached the very edge of the treeline, the horde halted, groaning and snarling, drooling and oozing. The blackness of the robes parted, revealing a withered, cloaked creature, its eyes glowing pure red, horns and spikes stabbing their way through its robes. It removed its hood, revealing its decaying face. As it bowed to the ground, so to did the horde.

"My black angel, who shall fall from the sky," The creature spoke, its voice projecting through the trees as if amplified by some unknown source, "surrounded by darkness, with your glittering sword, you have kept me on the hottest fire of the abyss where you trained me against all evils."

"MAY IMPURITY NEVER AFFLICT ME!" The horde screamed in return.

"How long did you say the beacon would take?" Loki asked.

"Five hours…" Thor said uneasily.

"Archangel of the seven wings, consecrate me and eliminate any weakness that I may have before my enemy, the stain of life!" The priest roared over the crowd. "Show no mercy, pity, and compassion before him who rises against me. Leave me only my hatred for the sins of impurity!"

"Ghost, what do we do here?!" Thor asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"I do not know!" Kratos yelled over the wind, slowly rotating on his feet, watching the horde that surrounded them as they prayed.

"Everyone who tries to stand up against me, when they look at my face, may they tremble and fall before my feet!" The priest yelled. "Drag to the depths those who have heard your voice through the wind, and extinguish them! Winged Guardian, protect the creation and remove the stain from this universe!"

"SO BE IT!" The horde screamed.

"So be it!" The priest replied as the horde resumed their charge against the three gods, the ground rumbling as the wave of thousands of bodies pushed their way toward their prey.

"So be it…" Kratos mumbled as he swung the Blades of Chaos into the endless tide of bodies before him.


	17. Angel of Death

Happy Halloween Everybody!

Musical accompaniment choices for your reading pleasure:

Alan Silvestri, Van Helsing Soundtrack: Final Battle

Hans Zimmer: Do You Think I'm Saxon?

End of Days Soundtrack: Main TItle

Two Steps From Hell: He who Brings the Night

**17**

**Angel of Death**

Kratos stood on top of the mountain of dead. His feet grew slippery and wet as more and more blood leaked down the pile of bodies. The flames of his blades and the red lightning overhead gave him enough light to see the grimacing, mutated faces of the horde as they piled higher and higher beneath him. He hacked and slashed as the army of mutants and aliens continued to slowly climb up their mutilated brethren to reach him. The landscape had become a mountain of flesh and metal as Kratos slashed through the horde. Screams and wind deafened the air as the forest grew red with flame and blood. For every robed creature he killed, two more took their place. The rain came down from the sky heavier than any natural downpour, flooding the ground and saturating the corpses underneath Kratos. The blood on his armor was washed away by the rain just as fast as the spray of his enemy's blood coated him.

The wreckage of the ship sat in a valley created by the wall of dead bodies. It had sunk somewhat in the muddy ground as blood and rain softened the dirt below. Thor stood, knee-deep in the murky blood-water mixture, guarding the entrance to the ship as waves of robed cultists poured over their own dead brethren to meet him. Using the power of the storm above, Thor held one arm to the sky, absorbing the red lightning raging above them. With the other arm, he unleashed his godly might on the cultists, arcs of red lightning vaporizing the never-ending tide of the Destroyer's Cult.

"Over here!"

Loki stood, smiling as a cultist, apparently once a member of the Lem species, tried to stab Loki's gut with a rusty spear.

"No, stupid, over here!"

The cultists turned, confused and frothing as Loki had suddenly appeared behind him.

"Psst!"

The cultist's eyes widened as Loki's voice came from behind again, then screamed as the Leviathan axe sliced through his leg. He fell to the ground, his black, empty eyes wide as Loki finished the job by cutting off its head.

"Loki! Watch out!" Thor yelled across the dark battlefield.

Loki turned to face a robed figure, but it was no mindless cultist. Its eyes glowed orange, and its face was covered in rings and markings. On its chest was the mark of Abaddon, carved into its skin. It smiled at Loki, and black smoke leached through the gaps in its rotting teeth.

"You're an ugly one." Loki stated, cocking his head to one side. "Even by these standards."

The priest stopped smiling, opened its mouth and let out an inhuman howl. As it did so, it made a circular motion with his arms, and a circle of demonic energy materialized before the priest. Loki teleported out of the way just as a beam of red energy burst from the circle towards him. The beam hit the ground, sending up steam and debris. Loki reappeared on top of the ship.

"So it's a battle of sorcery you want?" Loki jeered. "You shall have it."

Another beam of energy burst from the demonic priest straight for Loki. Loki raised his hand, projecting an energy shield just before the beam reached him. The energy of the beam bounced back, forcing the priest to dodge out of the way before being hit by his own attack. Loki closed his eyes, focusing on the corpses around him. His eyes opened, and his eyeballs rolled all the way back into his head as his face went blank. There was a pulse of energy. All around the priest, the bodies of the dead began to jerk and seize.

With one punch, Thor dispatched another dozen cultists as they mindlessly charged into his lightning blasts. He felt the pulse of energy. Dark energy. Forbidden energy. He turned his head to watch as bodies began to climb their way out of the pile of corpses. He looked to Loki, whose eyes were pure white, his arm outstretched.

"Loki, what are you doing?" Thor said to himself.

The priest recoiled as his own brethren turned their undead eyes towards him. It flicked its spindly hand, blasting apart a dozen of the wights before they reached him. But it wasn't enough. The priest let out a howl of agony as they tackled him, stabbing him with knives, swords and teeth, tearing out its organs and quartering its limbs.

Once the priest's body was completely disassembled, and its organs were scattered across the battlefield, Loki released his spell, and the wights all collapsed to the ground in a heap.

"Eat your heart out, 'Sorcerer Supreme'." Loki whispered to himself.

Above, Kratos continued to hold the flanks, the dead around him piling higher and higher.

"How much longer?" Kratos asked as he threw a gibbering cultist off the mountain of corpses, into the pikes of his own brethren below.

"I'm working on it!" Mimir's voice yelled over the comms. "Just keep these freaks out of the ship!"

Kratos noticed an orange light coming from the depths of the forest. The trees parted violently as something bigger came plowing through the trees. Much bigger than any cultist they had encountered so far. It emerged from the tree line, shaking the ground with its approach. It was something that Kratos could only describe as a massive, flaming, winged centaur. Its mouth was more a hole with teeth than a mouth, and its tail was a long, armored spike. As it charged, the small cultists below scampered to get out of the way, but the monster's massive talons mindlessly crushed anything below. The multi-story beast looked up to the top of the pile of the dead and fixed its glowing eyes on Kratos. It let out a deafening roar, the heat from its mouth rippled through the air as it screamed a language not even the allspeak of the Asgardians could decipher.

"Work faster." Kratos urged as the creature began to climb the mountain of dead towards him, its four legs carrying it up the slope with tremendous speed.

As fast as the creature was, the piled-up bodies rolled and toppled underneath the monster's weight, sending it slipping partway down again. Each slip only served to enrage the creature further.

"How many rockets do I have left?" Kratos asked.

"One." The helmet replied.

"Then we must make it count."

The creature had reached the peak of the mountain of corpses. As it climbed up to Kratos, it let out a roar of fury, the heat from its mouth lighting the bodies below ablaze. Kratos felt the heat hit the face of his helmet. He scowled, aimed at the demon's gaping mouth and fired. The rocket left the shoulder mount, blasted across the darkness into the maw of the creature. When the rocket hit, the monster's mouth erupted in a burst of fire and shrapnel, splitting its mouth apart and ripping its cheeks to tatters. Its shredded face began to bleed molten metal, which boiled away everything it touched, including flesh, fabric, and steel. The unholy scream of the monster shook the landscape, forcing Kratos off-balance as the mountain of bodies shook underneath him.

Kratos took advantage of the creature's agony and strafed right, flanking the flailing behemoth. Stabbing into the creature's armor, he pulled himself onto its back. The creature reared onto its hind legs and tried to shake him off, but Kratos stabbed the Blades deeper into its back, climbing his way to its head. The creature roared and reached behind to grab Kratos with its massive arms. Kratos felt the hand wrap around him. The demon tried to crush him, squeezing Kratos in its grasp. Kratos felt the heat from the demon's shredded mouth as its long tongue slithered through the air, and began to wrap around Kratos' helmet. Kratos pushed back against the demon's grasp, opening the fingers enough to free his blades. The creature recoiled as the blades stabbed into its fingers and ripped its hand apart. Kratos slipped out of its grasp, ran up its arm and jumped for its head. He landed, took out the Blade of Olympus and stabbed through the skull of the beast, penetrating its brain. Molten metal poured from the wound as its roars turned to vegetative groans. The creature tottered and lost its balance, collapsing, motionless underneath its own weight. Kratos pulled the Blade from its skull and hopped off the beast.

"Mimir." Kratos barked through the comms. "Your five hours are up."

"The beacon's online! Now unplug me!" Mimir's voice yelled over the radio.

The storm overhead continued to rage. Kratos looked down. He could see the forest shifting as more massive creatures and waves of black-robed figures rampaged towards the ship. Kratos jumped down from the wall of bodies, splashing into the blood-saturated ground. There was a strange calm as the three gods stood in the valley, surrounded by death.

"Was that the last of them?" Thor asked, out of breath and leaning over, his hands on his knees.

"No. More will pour over in moments." Kratos replied, wiping the blood from his helmet's visors.

"Loki, what the hell was that?" Thor asked, walking up to Loki.

"What was what?" Loki asked innocently.

"You know necromancy is forbidden!" Thor said, grabbing Loki by his collar and lifting him out of the blood.

"Look around us, brother!" Loki roared as he looked to the horror around them. "This is not the time for a lesson in ethics!"

"How did you even learn the dark arts? Asgard destroyed all knowledge of it!"

"I wouldn't see us die, brother. Isn't that more important?" Loki replied.

"We survive, that is what matters." Kratos added. "We are fighting an unknown enemy. Every advantage counts."

Thor gave Loki a look of concern, and put his brother down. Kratos entered the cabin of the ship, unplugged Mimir from the ship and tied him to his belt.

"Sweet gods," Mimir said as Kratos walked back out into the bloody landscape.

The decaying visages of the corpses took Mimir by surprise. Some were still smiling, even in death. Some were missing eyes, some had extra. Some were mutated beyond identification as sentient life. Some had mouths as wide as their faces, some were barely more than skulls with skin. Some were not much more than a pile of dust in clothes.

"What devilry is this?" Mimir said through his shock.

"We can contemplate this fight when we have survived it." Kratos argued.

"More coming..." Thor yelled, looking to the top of the mountain.

Kratos looked up. On top of their own dead stood a wall of black robes, staring down at the four gods. They waited for the horde to begin charging down the slope, but they remained silent and still. As the two forces stared each other down, the storm began to die, replaced with a quiet, bitter cold. Around them, what trees that weren't buried in bodies began to wither and freeze. The rivers of blood developed a thin skin of ice. Loki's long hair began to freeze into giant crusty dreadlocks of blood and sweat.

"Get back-to-back. Don't let them surprise us." Kratos ordered.

The three gods backed into a circle, facing outward, their eyes not leaving the army looking silently down on them. The sudden quiet was deafening. Only the sloshing of their feet in the tide of blood could be heard in the cold, dead forest.

"So, is this the kind of father-son time I should expect from now on?" Loki asked, steadying the axe in his hands. "Sheer, utter chaos at every turn?"

"Preferably not." Kratos said as snow began to fall from the sky.

"Good, 'cause the track record is feeling a bit...consistently chaotic." Loki replied.

"MY, MY…" The same calm voice echoed through the sky. "YOU THREE HAVE PUT UP A MUCH BETTER FIGHT THAN MOST OF THE PLANETS I'VE VISITED."

"Why do you hide?" Thor yelled to the sky. "Show yourself!"

"I DO NOT HIDE, LITTLE PAGAN." The voice chortled. "BUT, I WILL ADMIT, I AM A GLUTTON FOR DRAMATIC ENTRANCES."

The voice echoed through the forest. Kratos looked towards the sky. The dark clouds overhead parted, and a beam of red energy came pouring through. The beam hit the frozen ground. As it did so, it shot up dust and evaporated blood into the air. Kratos raised his hand to his eyes as the light from the beam blinded him temporarily. As the beam dissipated, Kratos unshielded his eyes to reveal a dark figure. Its armor was black and ornate, decorated with lines of demonic writing. Its face was covered by a golden metal mask, beautifully designed into a male face, calm and inviting, but somehow still menacing. Behind the mask, eyes glowed red. The figure's dark robes spewed black smoke from every tear and hole. As it raised itself from its landing, its wings spread out. Each feather was a razor-sharp blade.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Abaddon asked in that calm, soothing voice.

"What?" Kratos asked.

"The snow. So beautiful. Each flake so perfectly symmetrical, and each one almost perfectly unique. A true testament to the beauty of Father's mind."

Kratos stayed silent as the angel held out its armored hand. A flake of snow landed on its finger, and it cocked its head to one side.

"Unlike you." The angel's calm voice turned to irritation as its head cut suddenly towards the gods.

"Everybody stay calm. We just hold out until help comes." Mimir whispered.

"_If_ help comes." Kratos whispered back.

"Please, I'm a divine being, you think I can't hear your putrid hisses?" Abaddon said, his voice becoming more aggressive with each word.

"Besides," The angel continued, its voice returning to its original calmness, "Stalling me will not save you."

"Why do you attack us?" Thor asked.

"WHY?!" The angel screamed, taking two steps towards them, then stopping. "Isn't it obvious? It should be."

"It is not." Kratos grunted.

"It never is, apparently." Abaddon sighed. "But then again, I never understood why Father ever could love such naive, simple creatures as you."

"As us? Are we not god enough for you?" Loki asked.

"YOU?!" The angel laughed hysterically, its feet sloshing through the slushy blood as it paced back and forth. "You are not gods! Not even close. Not compared to Father. His creation: the stars, the planets, the perfect laws that govern them, the way the sunlight refracts differently in the atmospheres of each planet, the concept of love, of loyalty, of beauty. All these things are not yours to call your own! You spit on Father's name by calling yourself gods. You're not much better than mortals, just as meaningless, just as...foul."

"If so, then why would your Father put us here?" Thor questioned, letting out a weak cough.

"He did not put you here! You were a blemish, an unpropitious fluke! Life appeared one day, unexpected, unplanned...unwanted. We were happy to praise Father as He spun His machinations, as He danced and planned and wove His perfection into the cosmos. It was a work of art. Every piece, from the quark to the multiverse, was perfect. We loved it, and we loved Him."

Kratos stayed silent. The longer this creature prattled on, the more likely they were to get rescued and get off this rock. But Kratos felt unusual, as this creature spoke, the blades in his hand began to feel...heavy.

"But then," The angel continued, his voice once again returning to anger, "On the surfaces of Father's perfect creations, you came, slithering and gasping out of the water. We watched, horrified as life found new ways to adapt, to desperately cling to existence. To breed, to shit, to die, to rot. Then, life found new ways to kill. The bullet, the plasma bolt, the nuclear bomb...lightning hammers."

Thor flinched as the Angel tilted its head towards him.

"You sit and you kill and you destroy and you sin." The angel ranted, pacing faster than before. "You find new ways to obliterate Father's work. Every. Single. Day. And then, this is the best part! Because of Father's love for _all _things, no matter how disgusting their tendencies, He had no choice but to grant you a place in heaven! He even asked us to take care, and watch over of filth like you while you killed each other, and starved each other, and created evermore inventive sins! The arrogance to imagine that you could be _remotely _worthy to praise Him is...infinite hubris."

"Yet you allow your worshippers to live." Kratos noticed. He looked up at the horde that watched them above. His head felt strangely heavy as he tilted his head upward.

"They know what they are, and they accept their fate. They want to see the universe wiped clean just as much as I do." Abaddon said, looking up to the cultists as they watched silently above. "Without them, I would still be rotting in a cage in the core of a neutron star! They released me, and for their service, they will be granted every pleasure, every vice, every want and need in the highest circles of perdition. When their service is finished, their bodies will return to the atoms they came from, along with the trees, and the bacteria, and the worms. The universe will continue as if you all never existed, and all will return to its perfect dance."

"I want to know what your 'Father' thinks of all this." Loki mumbled.

"FATHER LEFT!" The angel screamed, his voice suddenly filled with sorrow. 'HE LEFT, AND THE CHOIRS FELL INTO CHAOS WITHOUT HIM! WARS BROKE OUT, AND MICHAEL..."

There was a long silence as Abaddon composed himself. Thor let out a heavy cough, raising a hand to his mouth. He looked down at his hand to see a few drops of blood. Thor looked to Kratos with concern on his face. Loki staggered but caught his balance before he fell.

"Michael, in his infinite knowledge, threw us out. He abandoned us to the pit. I thought, maybe...maybe if I restored his creation to its rightful state! Maybe He would return to us, to sing to us again, to weave His creations again. Maybe He would give us a reason to exist again!"

"Kratos,"The helmet spoke into Kratos' ear, "Something is wrong with your vitals. I'm reading a steep drop in your heart rate."

"There is beauty in life!" Mimir interjected. "Music, art, love, all these things can be found in the beings you want to destroy!"

The angel smiled weakly. "You would think so, wouldn't you? You see in such small terms. There is an entire multiverse out there! How can you compare your mortal perceptions of love and art to Father? He is above all of you! You would understand if you served by his side. If you knew him, felt his kindness..."

The angel's smile suddenly turned to rage. "If he wants life to exist, then he will simply make more! You are all so _unbelievably _without value! Even now, you can barely withstand my presence! Look at you!"

Kratos looked to his comrades. They both had grown pale. Thor let out another cough, the blood from his mouth falling to the ground and freezing on contact. Loki had put the axe against the ground, leaning onto it with one hand. Kratos pulled out the Blade of Olympus' handle and let the blade materialize in a blast of blue energy. Abaddon let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"Foolish Olympian. Just as you are with every weapon you wield, you have no idea how to _truly _wield it…"

"Kratos, your internal organs are failing, and I can't pinpoint the reason yet. I recommend immediate withdrawal from this area." The helmet warned.

Abaddon unsheathed his sword. The Sword of Abaddon. Kratos recognized the same red arcs of energy as they ran along the length of the blade. The same dark feeling in his soul as the blade's aura smothered the air with anger, rage, the desire for destruction. Abaddon raised the blade to his mask and vigorously smelled the hilt.

"I can smell _your _particular corruption on the handle, pale one." Abaddon said smoothly. "You were the one who delivered this from those wretched sorcerers, straight to my doorstep. I suppose I owe you a debt of gratitude."

"You...do not." Kratos said, trying to keep the blade steady in his hands.

"Ghost, we need to go." Thor said, his skin becoming dry and wrinkled.

"You now see!" Abaddon cackled. "In your efforts to stall me, you have only doomed yourself. With time, all life falls before me. Trees wither, animals die, and life...ends. This is the worth you hold. This is the value of life...you may as well not even exist."

"Well, don't just stand there! Let's kill this madman before we quite literally die of old age!" Loki croaked.

"Kill me?"

Abaddon began to take slow, deliberate steps towards the three. "I am the angel of destruction and death! I have lived for eons before you were even born! I have watched galaxies live and die! I have purged a million worlds before this day, and I will purge a billion more after I-"

"Purge this."

The Nemean Cestus squarely impacted Abaddon's chin, shooting his body into the mountain of cultist bodies, which exploded in a burst of blood and body parts with the force of his impact.

"'Purge this'?" Thor asked, weakly.

"Can you think of something better?" Kratos asked.

"Not...off the top of my head, no." Thor whispered.

"Oh! What if you say 'you've got a bug on your face'? And then you punch him." Loki grunted, wiping the blood dripping from his nose.

"I got one," Mimir asked. "Ahem... 'how's _this_ for divine intervention?'"

"Ooh, I like that one!" Loki exclaimed.

The cultists began to hiss and growl as they watched their leader climb out of the wall of corpses.

"FINE. I WILL PURGE YOU THE OLD FASHIONED WAY." Abaddon's voice once again filled the sky as he spoke. Gone was the voice of the soothing angel. What replaced it was the voice of a creature, born out of the most horrific and inhuman dimensions of Hell. Rumbling and violent. Abaddon made a motion with his hand, and the horde began to charge down into the fight. The horde screamed with bloodlust and charged down the hill.

"Thor. Loki. Hold back the cult. I will deal with the angel." Kratos said, grabbing the Blade of Olympus with both hands.

"They have us surrounded. The poor fools." Loki grinned weakly as he gathered what strength he had left. Thor followed suit, wiped his bloody mouth, and staggered to battle, lightning coursing through his body.

"I have seen many wield that blade. Titans, Olympians, do you really think all it does is shoot lasers?" Abaddon mocked, wiping the blood from his armor and striding confidently towards the Spartan. "That blade ended the great war! Such wasted potential on a half-breed like you."

"Are you the angel of destruction," Kratos said, pretending not to feel the effect of Abaddon's magic on his body. "Or the angel of talk?"

"Why rush? I hold all the cards here. Make your move if you wish, but I know you are too weak now. You'll fail, like every civilization I encounter has failed."

Abaddon's let his wings extend to their full length, and motioned Kratos to approach. Kratos charged the angel, and Abaddon charged him. Kratos swung the Blade of Olympus towards Abaddon's head, but the angel blocked the attack with his own blade, countering with a jab of his wing. Kratos strafed, swinging the blade down into the wing. There was a deafening clang as metal hit metal, but the wing remained intact. Abaddon jumped into the air and held his blade to the stormy sky. Kratos watched as the clouds began to spin above the angel, then as red lightning shot from the sky into Abaddon's sword. Kratos tried to find something to throw at the angel. Something big.

Abaddon sneered, letting the energy of the heavens course through his blade. Once the blade was fully charged, he pointed the weapon to the ground. His eyes opened wide when he realized an engine from the ship was careening towards him through the air. He tried to evade the attack, but the engine slammed into him at full speed. The angel rammed into the ground far beyond the sounds of the battle, his wings slicing through trees and snow as he tumbled. The engine sputtered through the dying forest before hitting the ground, exploding in the distance.

"Ouch." Abaddon whispered to himself, laughing weakly as he pulled himself off the ground.

Kratos landed with a thud a few meters away, slamming the blade of Olympus into the ground. A blast of energy pulsed through the forest, uprooting trees and shooting up snow. Abaddon shielded himself from the blast, covering his body with his wings. The pulse hit him, pushing him back a couple meters. Kratos charged Abaddon, throwing the Cestus into the shield of wings. The gauntlet slammed into the metal, denting the wing and pushing Abaddon further into the ground. Kratos wailed the Cestus into the wings again and again, forcing the angel further and further into the dirt. The wings began to deform more with each hit. Kratos felt strangely tired as he rammed his fist into his enemy.

"Enough of that!" Abaddon shouted, pushing his wings outward. Kratos dodged the attack, but the wing grazed his armor, leaving a trail of scratches across the chest plate.

"You have twenty minutes before your organs fail completely, Kratos. Recommend immediate withdrawal." The helmet nagged.

"Focus on the angel's weaknesses, helmet, not mine." Kratos replied as he tried to shake the numbness from his hands.

"Very well. Scanning for weaknesses."

Abaddon got himself up from the dirt.

"You fight well, for a creature so drenched with sin." Abaddon said, his voice echoing through the frozen air.

"My sins are none of your concern." Kratos barked. "You know nothing of them."

"DO I NOT?!" Abaddon screamed. "LET'S CHANGE THAT!"

With tremendous speed, the angel flew straight towards Kratos. Kratos tried to dodge, but the angel's spell had slowed his legs. Abaddon's hand grabbed Kratos' forehead.

Flashes of his past blew by his mind. The murder of his family, the destruction of Olympus, the death of Athena, the slaughter and death that accompanied him everywhere he went.

Then, everything around Kratos became dark. Abaddon was gone, so was the forest of the planet. Kratos was lying on a cold, hard ground. He stood up and looked around. He was surrounded by darkness and lightning. The ground was a grey ash, stretching for miles in every direction. Wherever he was, it was a sterile wasteland. The sky above was an abyss of nothing. Kratos felt a bump underneath the surface. He kicked the ash, revealing a layer of bones underneath. Skulls of varying sizes, from different species of the universe.

"Where are we?" Mimir asked.

"I do not know." Kratos answered.

"WELCOME TO MY DOMAIN, LITTLE PAGAN." Abaddon's voice echoed through the darkness. 'WELCOME TO MY CIRCLE OF HELL."

/

Loki's arms shook as he tried to hold the force field together. The horde outside snarled and scampered as they piled on top of each other to encompass the sphere of protection around the two exhausted gods.

"What do we do, brother?!" Loki groaned.

"Just a little bit longer!" Thor yelled, throwing the last of his dwindling strength into electrifying the forcefield, creating a magical wall of electric death. "Ghost will kill the angel and we will get out of here!"

A heavy footstep shook the ground. Thor turned to watch as another massive centaur-looking demon pushed aside dozens of cultists with one hand and approached the forcefield. It raised itself onto its hind legs, and brought down the weight of its entire body down onto the shield. Loki staggered to one knee as the force of the blow knocked the wind out of him.

"He better be quick! I'm slipping here!"

Thor didn't respond, only a heavy cough left his mouth, spitting more blood and spit to the slushy ground. Loki looked to his withering brother as he fell to his knees.

"I'm just so tired…" Thor whispered as his hands turned skeletal and thin.

Loki felt the demon bring another crushing blow down on top of the forcefield. The shield began to fluctuate and waver as a second demon approached the shield. Loki looked to the ground. He looked at his brother. This wasn't the end. It couldn't be.

As Loki staggered under the crushing weight, the sounds of battle began to die down. Nothing but his own breathing could be heard. Reality around him seemed to slow. From behind him, he could hear a strange female voice, singing a lullaby, strangely familiar to his ears. He turned his head, but saw nothing except the Leviathan axe, resting in the snow. Loki released his grasp of the shield and trudged towards the axe, and the voice.

As the shield broke, the demons and cultists above began to fall in slow motion on top of the two gods. Loki dropped to the snow and grabbed the axe with a shaking hand. The lullaby grew stronger in his ears. He felt the light pressure of hands on his shoulders.

A strangely familiar presence that time forced him to forget.

"Mother?"

The feeling of hands on his shoulders dissipated like ash in the wind. The lullaby faded. Loki felt the axe donate a surge of power to his body. He looked back to Thor. His body had given way to Abaddon's spell. His muscles were shriveled and thin, and his hair was dead and grey. The horde was still slowly coming down on top of them. Loki felt something awaken inside him. Something he had only ever felt once before. Pure, unmitigated rage.

The normal passage of time resumed, and the weight of hundreds of cultists and demons came crashing down on the two Asgardians. Before they could hit the ground, a blast of frozen air, like the shockwave from a massive explosion, pushed the horde back again. The blast shot outwards in every direction, instantly freezing any flesh and liquid it came into contact with. Many of the more decayed cultists were ripped apart by the pressure wave.

Thor slowly turned his frail head towards Loki, to the source of the blast.

Loki was clad, head-to-toe in spiked armor, composed of ice. The ice helmet on his head was a mask of death, covered in spikes and horns. His skin had turned to the dark blue hue of his Frost Giant ancestry, and his eyes glowed red. The engravings on the Leviathan axe glowed bright blue in his hands. His black cloak underneath the armor flew freely in the tornado of frozen wind that engulfed him.

"Loki?" he croaked through dry lips.

Loki's eyes darted towards Thor.

"Stay there. Don't move." Loki said with primal aggression that Thor had never heard from his brother before.

Thor's eyes began to shut, too weak to stay open. Loki turned and focused on the massive demon that rampaged towards them. The creature unsheathed a pair of giant blades from its back and roared at the Frost Giant. Loki roared back and charged the creature. The demon slammed its molten sword into the ground. Loki teleported out of the way of the massive blade before it crushed him, and reappeared behind the demon. Loki swung the axe into the centaur's hamstring, crippling the demon's leg. The demon screamed as it stumbled from the injury.

Loki teleported onto the demon's back, and was just about the bring the axe down into its spine, when the demon reached behind and grabbed him. The demon pulled it arm back, and brought it down to slam Loki into the ground. Loki teleported out of the demon's hands before he was crushed, and reappeared above the creature's head. Using the downward momentum of the demon's attack, he brought the axe down into the skull of the demon, cleaving it in half. The centaur's body went limp and flopped to the ground as the axe sliced straight through its head.

"Who's next?!" Loki roared.

Loki looked around. There were no living cultists. No demons, no sorcerers left alive around him. Unsure of when, or if, there would be another wave, Loki took advantage of the calm and ran over to his dying brother. As he bent down over Thor's crippled body, his rage subsided. The armor of ice fell limply to the ground, and his skin began to return to its Asgardian colors.

"Brother, Thor, stay with me." Loki said softly. Thor's body was on the ground, shriveling before Loki's very eyes. His skin was loose and wrinkled, his hair a grey whisp on top of his head.

"Is...is it bad?" Thor whispered, his voice barely audible over the lightning above.

Loki smiled weakly.

"I'm not gonna lie, you look terrible."

Thor chuckled, but the laughter was quickly replaced with weak coughing.

"If this is the end…" Thor started.

"It will not be." Loki interrupted. "Like you said, we just wait until Kratos...until father kills the angel. He breaks the spell, I can go live a life of peace on the beaches of Alfheim, and you can go on protecting the weak and innocent people of Midgard."

"I never thought I would die by evil angel death magic." Thor said. He opened his eyes and looked at Loki. His eyes had lost all color, having turned milky white.

"No. Don't say that." Loki said, shaking his head. "You're not dead yet."

Loki began to feel the effects of Abaddon's spell on his own body once again. His vision began to blur as his ability to hold himself up off the ground waned.

"I think...I'll…" Thor started, but his voice quickly faded as he lost all consciousness.

"Stay with me!" Loki groaned, his voice dry and raspy. He looked to the sky. "Come on, dad, kill that self-righteous, arrogant…"

/

"Coward!" Kratos yelled to the dark sky above him, trying to stay balanced on his weakened legs. "You would hide from a lesser being?!"

"MY DEAR LITTLE MORTAL." Abaddon's amused voice rang through the air. "WHY FIGHT YOU WHEN ALL I HAVE TO DO IS WAIT? YOU'RE STUCK HERE, NOW. YOU MAY BE MORE RESISTANT TO MY POWERS, BUT SOONER OR LATER, YOU WILL GROW WEAK AND DIE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EASY, BUT YOU MADE IT DIFFICULT, AND NOW YOUR FRIENDS WILL SUFFER FOR IT."

"Loki..."

"EVEN NOW, THEY WITHER TO NOTHING. IN A FEW MINUTES, THE ASGARDIAN WILL DIE…"

Kratos looked down to the bones and ash on the ground. His breath began to grow heavy. His teeth began to clench. What weakness Kratos felt from Abaddon's spell was replaced with anger.

"AND THE FROST GIANT, I THINK I'LL DONATE TO MEPHISTO'S PLAYPEN. SEE HOW LONG THAT JOTUNN STAMINA CAN LAST AGAINST THE MASTERS OF PAIN."

"Oops...bad choice of words." Mimir whispered.

/

Loki lay on the ground, next to his dying brother. The cold rain from the storm dropped onto his face, but his muscles were too frail to wipe the water from dripping into his nose. He heard a thud as Abaddon landed in the distance.

"You...have defied the will of an angel." Abaddon spoke, irritation bleeding from his words. The rain tinked against his black armor as he approached. "And now, you must pay the price for your sin."

Loki watched as the angel walked up to him, sword drawn. Abaddon stood over him, his blade pointed right at Loki's chest. Loki watched as the blade pulled back, and thrust towards his heart. He shut his eyes and waited for the sword to plunge into him.

But nothing. Only a loud punching noise, then a grunt. Loki opened his eyes and looked up to see Kratos, lighting the landscape with cosmic power. Kratos' white glowing eyes looked quickly to Loki, scanned his body for injuries, then shot off.

"Impossible?!" Abaddon said as he stood himself up. His mask had been punched off from the impact of Kratos' fist, revealing his surprised, decaying face. "How did you escape?!"

"I climbed out."

The light from Kratos' ethereal wings cut through the darkness of the storm above. The blades of Chaos were wreathed in that ultra-hot purple flame, and the snow below him evaporated instantly with every step he took.

Abaddon's skeletal face frowned. "No matter."

Abaddon pointed his sword at Kratos, unleashing a beam of red energy. Kratos dodged the beam, which shot off and hit the ground in the distance. Charging towards the angel with immeasurable speed, Kratos tackled the angel and impaled Abaddon through his chestplate. Abaddon screamed as the blades of chaos burned through his chest. Abaddon stabbed his wing straight for Kratos' face. The wing hit Kratos squarely in the jaw, but the demigod barely flinched, his glowing eyes set on the eyes of the angel.

With the blades of chaos still stuck in Abaddon's chest, Kratos flew upward, through the cloud cover, into the planet's stratosphere, then downward, straight for the ground. Abaddon tried to pull the blades from his chest as he was dragged through the air after the demigod, but to no effect. Kratos slammed Abaddon into the ground with enough power for the dirt and snow atoms to fuse together under the force of the impact, releasing the energy of a nuclear bomb into the atmosphere.

There was a deafening blast, a blinding light, then silence as the mushroom cloud bellowed into the atmosphere. Kratos stood over the angel as Abaddon slowly pulled himself out of the crater.

"You...have been touched by Eternity?" Abaddon groaned as he staggered to his feet. His armor was battered and cracked, and his wings were bent. "Why would _he _choose a foul soul like you as his champion?!"

Abaddon swung his sword toward the glowing Spartan. Kratos grabbed the blade with his bare hand mid-swing and ripped it from the angel's grasp. He kicked the angel back to the ground. Abaddon tried to shield his face from Kratos' foot, but his arms were crushed underneath the Spartan's flaming boot. Kratos slammed his foot into the angel's face, again and again, cracking Abaddon's skull in multiple places. Abaddon rolled over and tried to drag himself away from the towering Spartan, only to feel the weight of Kratos' foot on his back. All Abaddon could do was shriek as Kratos ripped his wings out of his back, one by one.

Abaddon looked up at Kratos. The aura of power. The wings. The power.

"I see now," Abaddon whispered through his broken mouth. "I see the truth."

"And that is?" Kratos barked as he unsheathed the Blade of Olympus. The normal blue aura of the Blade turned yellow as Kratos infused it with Eternity's cosmic power.

"It was you all along..._you_..._you _are the true Angel of Death."

"No." Kratos grunted through clenched teeth.

"I've seen your mind, Spartan. You don't see it now, but you will soon. The universe will beg for your mercy, and you will not provide it. Everything around you dies! EVerything around you will die! Your wives, your daughter, your father...and your son."

Kratos paused.

"You have a bug...on your face."

"What?"

Kratos ran the hypercharged Blade of Olympus through Abaddon's face. The angel's body instantly stopped moving, then began to convulse violently. Abaddon's armor began to implode in on itself, then exploded in a wave of red energy and lightning. The blast ripped through the trees, shredding bark and vaporizing snow.

Kratos' cold, unfeeling expression remained unbroken as the red energy engulfed him. After ensuring the Angel was gone, he looked back to the battlefield, the piles of dead in the distance. In a burst of dust and snow, he was in the air, flying at full speed for his son.

/

The storm had begun to calm, the clouds parting in the sky. Loki welcomed the sunlight as it hit his skin. He sat up, his strength returning to him. He looked to Thor, who appeared to be regaining his normal muscle mass, and who's hair was returning to its golden hue.

Kratos landed with a thud. His rage cooled and his cosmic aura dissipated as he kneeled to check on Loki.

"Are you well?" Kratos asked.

"It's not me I'm worried about." Loki said, turning to Thor, still lying motionless on the ground.

"I'm...fine...just taking a second." Thor said, raising an arm up.

"Are _you _well?" Kratos reiterated.

"Yes, fine. Just...tired."

Kratos nodded. "It has been a long day."

The three rested on the damp ground for a while. It seemed like an eternity since they felt the sun, and they soaked up every second of it. The stench of battle surrounded them, the countless corpses and husks of massive demons spread as far as their godly eyes could see. But it was over.

"I need a vacation." Kratos mumbled as he slumped onto the ground.

"I crossed a lot of things off my bucket list today." Mimir added. "Insane purple aliens, cultists, demons and a fallen angel. What's next, talking raccoons?"

Suddenly, the rumble of ship engines filled the air. Kratos looked up to see another M-class vessel hovering overhead. It circled the battlefield and landed in a relatively flat area. The landing gear hit the ground, unavoidably crushing the bodies of the cultists that littered the ground. The rear opened up, and out jumped a raccoon, clothed in a dark suit of leather armor, and wielding a plasma rifle. The animal looked around at the carnage that surrounded them.

"We miss a party or somethin'?" The raccoon asked.


	18. Nidavellir

**18**

**Nidavellir**

"What was that you said about talking raccoons?" Loki whispered to Mimir.

Suddenly, a volley of plasma hit the ground, just a few feet from Loki's feet.

"Call me a raccoon ONE more time!" Rocket yelled, the plasma rifle steaming in his hands, aimed directly at Loki's face.

"Woah, woah! Calm down, buddy!" Said another voice from inside the ship.

From inside the ship, out came a human male, dressed in a leather jacket. The stubble on his face was unkempt, barely covering his jawline. He was tall, with an oddly innocent expression on his face.

"Everywhere I go, Quill!" Rocket groaned. "Everywhere I go!"

"What did we discuss about talking to strangers?" Quill said calmly as he hopped off the ship.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yeah, you do. We were just talking about it before we landed, like, twenty seconds ago."

"Shoot first, ask questions later? I like that one, personally. On a very personal level."

"N- no. Come on, man, no. Don't be a smart ass."

"Ugh, fine!" Rocket snarled. He lowered the aim on his rifle and struggled to force a smile onto his face. "Hello, alien freaks. We come in...peace...I guess. Something, something, something, uh, we want your money?"

"Close enough." Quill sighed. Rocket gagged as the smile on his face shot into a scowl of disgust. "Sorry about him, still working on his social skills."

Quill stepped on a cultist's head which squished under his boot. He looked down, then looked around at the carnage around them. The piles of dead, the demon corpses, the rivers of blood.

"So, uh, was this you guys?" Quill asked as he pointed at the littered ground.

"Yes." Kratos replied, standing up.

"Did..._they_ set off the distress beacon, or did you?"

"Us."

"Looks like they're doing just fine without us, Quill." Rocket called out as he poked his rifle at one of the demon's toothy mouth hole. "Let's go before we get some kind of infection! Place stinks…"

"Please, good traveller," Thor said, standing up after regaining his strength. "We need a way off this planet. It is of great importance."

"Well, like my furry friend mentioned, we don't do things for free. You have any, oh, I don't know, money, or something of value in return for our services?"

"No." Kratos grunted.

"Well, that settles it! Bye..." Quill said, turning towards his ship.

"Wait." Loki said. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small leather bag that jingled as he held it out.

Thor looked at the bag, then to Loki.

Loki shrugged. "The grandmaster was generous with his subjects."

"I don't know who the 'great mister' is, but now we're talking business!" Quill said, smiling at the bag.

"Brother, we have a promise to keep with the Sorcerer." Mimir whispered. "We can't let this happen again."

"The angel is dead."

"Is he dead, or is it just his body that's dead? For all we know, he could still be out there, somewhere. We need to get that sword."

Kratos sighed.

"Go. I will return." Kratos said to the Asgardians as he headed off into the forest.

"Time is money, friend." Quill said as he grabbed the bag of jewels and directed Thor and Loki onto the Benatar.

Kratos wandered off into the forest. He returned to the site of Abaddon's death, and picked up the angel's blade. The blade screamed silently at Kratos, begging for bloodshed and death. Kratos huffed and sheathed the blade into its scabbard. The blade's quiet influence stopped instantly as the blade slid into the leather. Kratos strapped the blade to his back and headed back.

/

"Hey, Quill, isn't that the old ship?" Rocket said, pointing to the hunk of metal in the distance.

"Holy crap, be right back!" Quill said, his eyes opening wide. He ran up to the old husk, now half-sunk in the wet ground, and jumped into the cabin.

"Please, please, please…" He whispered to himself as he scampered toward the cassette player. He opened the player and squealed with joy as he pulled out the old tape. Giving it a quick kiss, he put it in his jacket and ran back to the Benatar.

Kratos reappeared through the forest and jumped onto the ship. Thor and Loki were sitting in some passenger seats, both looking exhausted.

"What's your name, big...guy?" Quill asked as the ship's door sealed behind them. Kratos turned to Quill and scowled.

"None of your concern."

"Okiedoke." Quill said quickly, turning towards the ship's cockpit. "Scary Grey Man, meet the crew. This is Gamora."

One of the seats turned, revealing a green-skinned female. Her long red hair fell past her shoulders. Her expression was hiding it, but Kratos knew that look. The look of one who had seen enough death and evil to haunt her at night, every night. Kratos nodded, and she nodded back.

"Groot, say hi to our guests."

"I am Groot..." Came a sarcastic voice from behind one of the chairs.

"Hey! I told you, manners don't cost anything!" Quill said sternly.

"I am Groot…" The voice said, reluctantly.

"That's better." Quill said. "And this is Drax. I have a feeling you guys will get along."

"Doubtful." Kratos said.

"Doubtful?" Drax said.

A grey-skinned male turned his head from behind his seat. His torso and arms were engraved with markings from the culture he left behind. He stood up and walked up to Kratos.

"This one is bald, and grey, and has tattoos. I am...strangely jealous." Drax grunted. "I want to punch him."

"You may try." Kratos threatened.

'Hmmf."

"Hmmf."

The two eyes each other up for a moment. Drax's face broke into a smile, then into laughter.

"I like this one, he speaks very little." He said, turning back to his chair and sitting down. Kratos sighed and sat down in a seat beside Loki.

"And this is Mantis, our newest member." Quill said.

Another Seat spun around. The female stood up, her antennae pointing toward Kratos.

"Nice to meet you, bearded one." She said, holding out her hand. Kratos looked at her hand, as it made contact with his skin. Mantis' eyes went wide as she recoiled.

"There is a darkness in you," Mantis said. "And...sadness. And anger."

Kratos sighed and turned away. Mantis's antennae drooped, and she returned to her seat.

"Great. Darkness, and ager, all good things..." Quill said awkwardly. "Now that we all know each other, where are we taking you?"

"We hunt Thanos." Thor said sternly. "We must stop him before he reaches another stone."

"Thanos?" Gamora asked.

"Oh, no! No, no no. We are NOT getting involved in that mess!" Rocket exclaimed.

"He already has the power stone!" Thor grunted. "He will not stop until he has all six, and we are the only ones who are able to stop him. You must help."

"He's right." Gamora added. "But we don't know where he's going next."

"I have a guess." Loki added. "Knowhere."

"He must be going somewhere!" Mantis exclaimed.

"No, no. Knowhere? It's a place, we've been there." Quill mentioned. "It sucks."

"Why Knowhere?" Gamora asked.

"The collector..." Thor added.

"He has the reality stone," Loki replied. "It's been there for years."

"You're right. Midgard will have to wait. We must visit the Collector."

"If it's with the Collector it's not safe, only an idiot would give that man a Stone."

"Or a genius." Thor replied, now eyeing the fridge across the cabin from him.

"How do we know that's where he's going?" Gamora asked.

"Process of elimination," Loki replied. "He has the power stone, with which he-"

"Destroyed half the Agardian race." Kratos interrupted. "Perhaps all of them."

"For which he will pay dearly...and the Time and Mind stone are on Midgard, with the Avengers." Thor added.

"The Avengers?" Quill asked.

"Earth's mightiest heroes" Thor explained.

"Like Kevin Bacon?" Mantis asked innocently.

"No." Kratos grunted. "Kevin Bacon would die instantly."

"As for the soul stone, well, no one's ever seen that, and no one even knows where it is." Thor said. Gamora looked down for a moment.

"Process of elimination." Loki said, raising his arms into the air.

"Then we must go to Knowhere, now." Gamora said urgently.

"Thor," Mimir said. "I have an idea."

"Woah! There's a talking head! What is with the talking head?!" Quill exclaimed, pointing at Mimir ah he hung from Kratos' belt.

"What _is _that?!" Mantis asked.

"Eh, I've seen weirder." Rocket said nonchalantly.

"You _are_ weirder." Drax mentioned. "You are a talking animal. That is very weird."

"Exactly! Wait…" Rocket paused.

"Everybody shut up!" Mimir yelled. "Thor, we have a ship. You know where we have to go."

"Yes. Nidavellir." Thor replied.

"That's a made up word!" Drax exclaimed.

"All words are made up." Thor mentioned.

"Nidavellir is real? Seriously?" Rocket said suddenly, jumping onto the table nearby. "I mean, that place is a legend. They make the most powerful, horrific weapons to ever torment the universe. I would very much like to go there, please."

"The rabbit is correct, and clearly the smartest among you." Thor said.

"Rabbit…?" Rocket mumbled.

"The dwarves can make me the weapon I need." Thor continued.

"Dwarves…" Kratos grunted.

"You know them?" Thor asked.

"Too well." Kratos said.

"Then it's settled." Thor said, clapping his hands together.

"Woah, wait!" Quill exclaimed. "This is my ship, and we're not going anywhere unless I say so!"

"And, not to be a buzzkill, brother, but we have our own plans." Loki said, standing up and pointing to himself and Kratos.

"What plans?" Gamora asked.

"We go to Alfheim, preferably away from the fight." Loki said.

"Alfheim? Those goody-two shoes little hippie types?" Rocket sneered. "No thanks. I like captain eyepatches' plan much, much better."

"What kind of weapon are we even talking about here?" Quill asked.

"The Thanos-killing kind." Thor replied.

"...Don't you think that we should all have a weapon like that?"

"No. You simply lack the strength to wield them. Your bodies would crumple as your minds collapsed into madness."

"Is it weird that I wanna do it even more now?" Rocket asked.

"A little bit, yeah." Thor replied quietly.

"So, it seems we have a three-way split." Loki stated. "Those who want to go to Alfheim raise their hands."

Loki shot up his hand. Kratos sighed.

"His hand isn't raised, but he wants to go too." Loki said, pointing to Kratos.

"Loki, we don't have time for this!" Thor argued.

"Shh, let democracy work its magic." Loki taunted.

"Those who want to pick up some kick-ass dwarf weapons?" Rocket asked, shooting up his hand.

Thor groaned and reluctantly raised his hand.

"And those who want to stop Thanos now, and not waste any time with this Asgardian's errand?" Gamora asked, raising her hand.

"And those who wouldn't mind some ice cream, and perhaps a bath?" Drax added, shooting his hand up.

"Oh, I like ice cream and sitting in hot water!" Mantis smiled and raised her hand.

"This isn't helping," Mimir stated. "Thanos gets closer to his goal with every second."

"Look, we have the ship, and we have the pod. One group goes to the dwarves, and one group goes to Knowhere to try to stop Thanos. Does that work?" Rocket asked the group.

"It does not." Kratos grunted.

"Brother," Mimir whispered. "Nidavellir is just as safe as Alfheim. No one has known its location for centuries. If we go there, we can stay there, and maybe we can see _them_ again?"

"I do not wish to see _them_ again." Kratos huffed.

"Oh, come on. It'll be just like old times!" Mimir exclaimed.

Kratos sighed. "Fine. Come, boy."

"Again, could we just drop the 'boy' thing?" Loki asked.

"Pod only has enough seatbelts for three people." Rocket mentioned. "And trust me, she gets bumpy when she jumps. You don't wanna be standing!"

"Then you will sit on someone's lap." Kratos said, looking down at the much smaller Rocket.

"Make me!"

/

Kratos sat in the pod, with Rocket on his lap.

"I hate you. Officially and irreversibly." Rocket snarled.

"I do not care." Kratos snapped back.

"I'm also not the biggest fan of this." Loki sat as Groot sat on his lap, tapping away at the video game in his hands.

"I am Groot." Groot grunted.

"What?! Do you know who you're insulting?" Loki exclaimed. "You're one to talk, have you weighed yourself recently? I already can't feel my legs!"

"I bid you farewell, and good luck, fools. Bye." Thor said to the Guardians as Rocket wrapped his paws around the controls. The pod closed, and they shot into space.

/

Kratos sat in the rear of the pod, as it soared through the abyss of space. The voice of the angel's final words resonated in his mind.

"You look troubled, brother." Mimir said.

"The angel's words." Kratos mumbled.

"Ah, when he called you the true Angel of Death? He was probably just doing what fallen angels do, deceive and create doubt."

"Not that."

"Which part then? That part seemed pretty ominous."

"Loki."

"Oh...that. Eh, what did he know? He didn't foresee your sword in his face."

"Perhaps he did. Perhaps he did not. As you said, demons deceive."

"As long as I'm here, brother, I will keep you on the right page. You won't turn dark side, and Loki won't die."

"I can take care of myself." Loki interrupted. "Don't talk about me as though I were some helpless child. You should have seen what I could do on that planet when you disappeared."

"What?"

"It was amazing!" Loki said, sitting across from Kratos. "The axe spoke to me, and-"

"The axe spoke to you?" Kratos asked sceptically.

"It did! I think I...I think I met mother."

"Impossible."

"It came to me through the winds. I felt a presence. A song. And then the axe...I think it awoke something in me."

"She is dead, boy."

"That's not what you said in the vault of Asgard! Who were you speaking to then?"

Kratos sighed.

"It awoke something?" He asked.

"I'm not sure what it was," Loki continued. "I just got angry. Anger I hadn't felt since I found out Odin lied to me, when I found out that I was a Frost Giant."

"Anger?"

"And then, suddenly I killed everything around us. I killed a demon, I killed...everything. It was like a Frost Giant version of that thing that happens to you when you get angry."

"That anger is dangerous, if you let it control you." Kratos stated. "You have no idea what my anger has cost me. Be careful with it."

"I already know what it cost you, everyone in Asgard knows the tale of the Godslayer."

"They do not."

"Then tell me."

"No."

'Why not?"

"It is something you do not need to know."

"Obviously it is. You just ranted about the dangers of your anger, and now you won't explain!"

"There are things about me I would not have you know."

"Fine."

Loki stood up and approached Kratos. Before Kratos could react, Loki put his hand to Kratos' head.

Suddenly, the two were surrounded by a Greek village.

"No." Kratos whispered.

'They've built this temple to offer prayers to Athena!" Came a voice in the distance. The two turned to see a younger Kratos, brandishing a torch, speaking before a horde of Spartans. "This entire village stands as an affront to Lord Ares! Burn this village! Burn it to the ground!"

His own voice rang in Kratos' ears as he watched himself toss the first torch into the homes of the village.

"Get out of my head, Loki…" Kratos warned.

"Not until I see what you can't tell me that is so terrible." Loki replied.

They watched as the village began to burn, and as the Spartan army slaughtered the villagers. The young version of Kratos stood before the temple.

"Beware, Kratos." An old woman warned as she blocked the doorway to the temple. "The dangers in the temple are greater than you know."

"Don't do it, fool." Kratos said as he watched his young self push the Oracle aside, and kicked the door to the temple open.

They watched through the doorway as young Kratos ripped apart everyone inside the temple. The screams of men and women emanated from inside.

"Stop!" Kratos yelled at Loki.

"Not yet." Loki said.

They watched on as young Kratos dropped to his knees, bathed in the blood of a woman and a girl that lay before him. The laughter of the Oracle rang through the air, fresh as the day it happened.

"You have seen enough!" Kratos roared.

"Fine." Loki said.

Kratos found himself back in the ship. He took Loki's hand off of his forehead and pushed Loki into the wall across from him.

"Woah, careful! You know on the other side of that wall in space, right?" Rocket yelled from the control chair.

"Never invade my mind again. Is that clear?!" Kratos screamed at Loki.

"Who were they?" Loki asked, picking himself up off the ground.

"You know enough!" Kratos yelled.

"Who were they?!" Loki roared back.

The ship fell silent.

"They were my wife and child." Kratos whispered, his eyes looking down at the floor. "They were supposed to be in Sparta. Ares saw to it that they were not."

"Who? What now?" Rocket asked.

"Quiet!" Kratos barked.

"I lost one family, and found another with Faye and you." He continued. "They were also taken from me. I swore to Faye, if I found you, I would protect you. No matter the cost. It was my last words to her before she died."

Loki sat down. "I understand why you're so protective, now. I get it."

"If I lost you, I would have nothing left." Kratos sighed.

"You'd have me!" Mimir interjected.

"Not...now, head." Loki mumbled.

"Sorry." Mimir mumbled.

Loki stood up.

"You know you can't protect me forever. One day you'll be gone, and I'll be here. How will that work if I've been sheltered by my father my whole life? Oath or not, that's something you're going to have to realize."

Kratos huffed. Loki turned to talk to Thor.

"Loki." Kratos called after him.

"Yes?"

"Never again. Am I clear?"

"Crystal."

Loki turned and walked to the cockpit. Thor was in one of the passenger seats, staring into the void of space as the pod continued its journey.

"What is it, brother?" Thor asked, his eye not leaving the window.

"About the battle..." Loki started.

"We survived, right? That's all that matters..." Thor said sarcastically.

"I know necromancy is forbidden and all, but imagine what we could do with that! I could raise an entire army against Thanos! What could even the infinity stones do against the numberless dead?"

"I will not see my brother fall prey to this madness!" Thor raised his voice in anger. "Where did you even learn necromancy?"

"It was simple, really. The knife I threw at Hela when we were in the Bifrost. She threw it back, and when it stabbed me in the shoulder, I felt a little bit of her dark magic transfer into me."

"Brother, you know that stuff changes you. See what it did to our sister. She was a madwoman by the time she died. It isn't worth it."

"When you go against Thanos, your tone may change. What's a little dark magic when the end of the world is at stake?"

"There are some depths even I won't stoop to." Thor replied. "This conversation is over."

"Any chance I could learn some of that dark magic?" Rocket whispered after Thor had walked away.

"Not a chance, rodent." Loki replied, crossing his arms.

"Rodent! Why I just can't...friggin...arg…" Rocket trailed off.

Thor approached Kratos as he sat.

"I never got a chance to thank you. For getting us off the ship." Thor said as he sat across from Kratos in the rear of the pod.

"Leave me." Kratos grunted.

"I apologize for the words I said. I had just lost my people. People I may never see again. But I should not have taken it out on you. You saved my brother, and myself more times than I can be certain I will be able to repay you for. Whatever your choice is, to fight alongside me or not, at the end of this, I am in your debt."

Kratos looked up. "Make it count."

"I will." Thor nodded.

"Well, if you're going to make it count, you're gonna need more than one eye." Rocket said, getting out of his chair and pulling a small glass ball from his satchel.

"What's this?" Thor asked.

"What does it look like?" Rocket replied, handing the ball to Thor. It was a cybernetic eye, shining in the light of the ship's faint illumination.

"Some guy lost a bet with me on Contraxia." Rocket continued.

"He gave you his eye?" Thor asked, confused.

"Nah, he gave me a hundred credits" Rocket explained as he hopped back into the control chair. "I snuck into his room later that night. Stole his eye."

"Thank you, sweet rabbit." Thor said, placing the eye into his empty socket.

"Ooh, I wouldda washed that." Rocket exclaimed with a grimace. "The only way I could sneak that off Contraxia was in my-"

Rocket was interrupted by the sound of alarms going off on the control panel.

"Hey, we're here!" Rocket exclaimed.

"I don't think this thing works." Thor said, tapping the side of his head. "Everything seems dark."

"That ain't' the eye..." Rocket said.

Kratos got up to move to the window. In the distance was a giant, dark set of intertwined rings, surrounding a dead star. As the ship approached, the rings began to reveal more detail. The station seemed dead. No lights, no incoming transmissions, nothing.

"Something's wrong." Thor mumbled. "The star's gone out, and the rings are frozen."

"Just as safe as Alfheim..." Kratos grumbled.

"It was, last time I was here." Mimir said in his defence. "Something must have happened."

The ship entered the derelict station and landed on a section of flat terrain.

"Man, I hope these dwarves are better at forging than they are at cleaning." Rocket said as they exited the pod.

"Depends on the dwarf..." Kratos replied.

As they walked through the dark station, the only sound that could be heard were the boops and buzzes coming from Groot's video game.

"This forge hasn't gone dark in centuries." Thor observed.

"You said Thanos had a gauntlet, right?" Rocket asked.

"Yes. Why?' Thor asked.

"It look anything like that?"

The group turned in the direction of Rocket's attention. On top of one of the pedestals was a gauntlet. Each finger was engraved with a round indent, perfectly fitted to hold small stones.

"We never should have come here." Kratos said, pulling out his blades.

"I am groot." Groot said nervously.

"Everybody back to the pod. Now." Thor ordered.

Thor turned around, only to be met with the metal fist of a large creature. Thor went flying into a pillar, cracking the stone. The creature turned and kicked Groot away. Groot slid across the floor before coming to a stop. The creature turned to face down Kratos and Loki, who had both pulled their weapons out.

"Stop! Stop!" Came a voice in the distance. "Kratos, big guy! Is that you?!"

The creature stopped its attack and looked at the group with curiosity. Kratos rolled his eyes, knowing full well whose voice it was that called to them from the darkness.

"It is you! I'd recognize those blades anywhere! How ya been, you big beautiful bastard?! Are we glad to see you!"

From behind the junk came a short, blue-skinned creature, dressed in all leather, a forging hammer and giant tongs hanging from its belt.

"I told you we'd see them again!" Mimir said.

"Thor?" The massive creature said, looking down at the Asgardian.

Thor nodded. "Eitri."

"Oh my gods." Another, more nervous voice rang out through the great hall. "It's him, it's really him!"

"That's what I said! How you been, big guy?" Brok asked, approaching the Spartan with open arms.

"I have been better." Kratos responded.

"Ain't never seen you good, so what did I expect?" Brok replied. "Come on out, y'old scaredy-cat, It's just Kratos. And a tree. And a dog."

"Coming up with _all sorts_ of names, aren't we?" Rocket sighed.

"Thor?" Sindri asked, coming out from behind a rock. "Is that you too?"

"Sindri, buddy!" Thor exclaimed as he got himself up off the ground. "Eitri, what happened here?"

"You were supposed to protect us!" Eitri cried out. "Asgard was supposed to protect us!'

"Asgard is destroyed." Thor explained. "Eitri. The glove. What did you do?"

Eitri sighed and sank to the floor with a crash.

"There were three-hundred dwarves on this ring," Eitri explained. "I thought if I did what he asked, they'd be safe. I made what he wanted. A device capable of harnessing the power of the stones. And then he-"

Eitri tried to compose himself. "And then he killed everyone anyway. All except me."

"And yet you survived." Kratos said, turning to the Huldra brothers.

"We were off-station, on a freelance mission." Brok said solemnly.

"When we got back, everyone was…" Sindri started, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

"'Your life is yours', Thanos said." Eitri continued, "'But your hands'…"

Eitri held up the metal prosthetics attached to the end of his arms. "'Your hands are mine alone.'"

"Hands or not, we require your assistance." Kratos said.

"What do you need from us?" Sindri asked.

"A weapon." Thor replied. "With your help, we can create a weapon that can kill Thanos."

"You mean, revenge, yeah?" Brok asked.

Thor nodded.

"Then count us in. We'll help in any way that will give that big grape a run for his money!" Brok exclaimed.

"And while we're at it, let's take a look at those weapons." Sindri said, eyeing Kratos' arsenal. "Are those, missile pods?"

"Yes." Kratos replied.

"Then let's get to work!" Sindri exclaimed.

/

"How do you feel?" Brok asked, eyeing his work.

Kratos felt his armour spring to life again. The wings on the armour's chassis were refuelled, and ready to fly again. The missile pods on his shoulders were reloaded, and his blades were once again marked with the runes of dwarven magic. His armour was shined and buffed, and now had the Huldra Brother's seal of approval marked on the chest plate. The armour felt once again like it had all those millennia ago, when he was the God of War, now given new life by the dwarves' magic. Kratos activated his helmet, to test the targeting systems.

"Better." Kratos huffed, deactivating the helmet. The helmet pulled away from his face and collapsed back into the collar of the armour.

"Good! Great! That'll be thirty-two thousand hacksilver, thirty Aesirbane and fifteen dust of realms." Brok said sternly.

"What?" Kratos asked.

"Nah, just kiddin', this one's on the house!" Brok joked.

Kratos rolled his eyes, remembering why he didn't want to come here.

"That's a neat helmet you got there." Sindri noticed. "Who designed it?"

"Tony Stark" Kratos replied.

"Stark, eh? Never heard of 'em." Brok replied. "She have a name?"

"Name?"

"Sure, every great tool needs a name! Leviathan, Excalibur, Stormbreaker, what's the helmet's name"

"Helmet."

"No, no, that won't do!" Brok bellowed.

Kratos sighed. "Helmet?"

"Yes, Kratos?" The helmet's digitized female voice replied.

"What is your name?"

"I'm not sure, I never gave it much thought."

Kratos paused for a moment.

"Lexie."

"Lexie?" The helmet asked.

"It means, 'protector of mankind' in Greek."

"I would like that." The female voice replied.

"Good!" Brok said. He turned to Loki. "Now, as for you."

"What about me?" Loki asked.

"That axe of which'n you so happen to be holding. You know who that belonged to, right?"

Loki pulled the axe from his back. "It was my mother's."

"You...you have a son?" Sindri asked Kratos, surprised and confused.

"Yes." Kratos said.

"And you never told us? How long have we known each other?!" Brok blurted.

"He was dead."

"Well, he ain't dead now!"

"He lived."

"Well, which one is it? Dead or not dead?!"

"Log story." Loki said. "Now, what about the axe?"

"Well, seein' as how we made it, perhaps it could do with some nice little upgrades" Brok said.

Loki looked at the axe. "Very well."

Sindri looked at the axe. "Is that...blood on it?"

"Demon blood, actually. Maybe a few mutated cultist brains, too." Loki explained.

"Oof, blugh." Sindri said, backing away from the axe and covering his mouth with his hand. "Could you...take it to the crafting table for me?"

"Oh, forget it, give it here!" Brok said, grabbing the axe from Loki's hands. Brok carried it to the table, pulled out his hammer and gave the axe head a tap. Suddenly, the axe sprag to life as the runes shone bright blue.

"There." Brok said, handing it back to Loki. "Give it a try."

Loki took the axe and looked at it. "What do I do with it now?"

"Point it at something!" Sindri explained.

Loki pointed the axe head at a barrel in the distance.

"Now, think 'beam' or 'laser' or whatever floats yur boat." Brok said.

Loki closed his eyes. As he did so, a beam of freezing cold left the axe head and struck the barrel, obliterating it and moving on, hitting a pillar in the distance. The pillar froze and cracked, toppling down and crashing to the ground in a deafening downpour of rock and metal.

"Cool." Loki said, grinning out of the side of his mouth.

Suddenly the station began to shake under their feet.

"Looks like Thor got the rings moving." Loki stated.

Through the windows, the dead star that lay in the center of the station began to shine.

"My word, that's beautiful." Sindri exclaimed. "I never thought I'd see her shine again."

"Now, about that sword." Brok said, eyeing the black blade on Krato's back.

"Do NOT. Touch it." Kratos warned.

"Why not?"

"Because it is a demon blade, and it will corrupt your mind in moments." Mimir said.

"Fine, fine. No upgrade for the evil sword, then." Brok said as he grumbled off. "Always wanted to fiddle with a demon sword, but whatever..."

"Dammit." Eitri's voice came over the comms.

"Dammit?" Rocket's voice answered. "What's 'dammit'?"

"The mechanism is crippled." Eitri's voice replied.

"What?" Thor exclaimed.

"With the iris closed, I can't heat the metal." Eitri exclaimed.

"How long will it take to heat it?" Thor asked.

"A few minutes, maybe more, why?"

"I'm gonna hold it open."

"That's suicide."

"So is facing Thanos without that axe."

"I have to help him." Loki said.

"No!" Kratos barked.

"He needs my help!" Loki yelled. "You can't stop me from helping my brother!"

"If I cannot stop you, then I will go." Kratos grunted.

Kratos' mechanical wings grinded open. The boosters on his armor sprang to life as the armor prepared for flight.

"Lexie. Get me to the iris."

"Sounds good, boss."

Kratos' helmet wrapped around his head, and he shot off into space, flying straight for the iris. He landed beside Thor as he stood in the massive gears of the mechanism.

"What are you doing here?" Thor asked.

"Helping." Kratos replied bluntly.

Thor nodded. "You pull that one, I'll handle this one. Allfathers, give us strength."

"You understand, boy." Eitri's voice came over the comms. "You are about to take the full force of a star. It'll kill you.

"Only if I die." Thor said, a nervous smirk on his face.

"Yes...that's what k...killing you means." Eitri replied.

"Ready?' Thor asked, grabbing a hold of the giant lever beside him.

"Ready." Kratos replied, grabbing his side's lever.

The two gods pulled, opening the giant Iris that led to the star. The light of the star shone through. Kratos scowled as the heat of the star hit his body. His godly armour protected his skin from the blast, but he could hear Thor's grunts of pain beside him as his skin burned away.

"Hold on!" Kratos roared over the blast of the star, but Thor lost consciousness and flew off, propelled by the star's energy. Thor's lever began to slide to its neutral position as the Iris slowly closed.

"Was that long enough, dwarf?" Kratos asked.

"I hope so, Thor is dying!" Eitri yelled over the comms.

Kratos let go of his lever and jetted back to the forge.

"Brother, wake up! Don't die on me now!" Loki said as he lay beside his brother.

"Where's the handle?!" Eitri yelled as he desperately searched the area.

"I put it over here, I'm certain of it!" Sindri called out in the distance.

"You lost it, didn't you, you little canker-throat?!" Brok screamed.

"I don't lose anything, ever! I'm very organized!" Sindri screamed back.

"Tree! Help me find the handle!" Eitri roared as he desperately overturned tables and rocks in search of it.

Groot looked at the red-hot pieces of the axe that lay on the ground. He looked to Thor, took a deep breath, and held out his arm. His fingers began to extend, growing out into long branches that intertwined themselves. Groot grunted from the pain of the red-hot metal as his finger wrapped themselves around Stormbreaker's head. With a high-pitched roar, he raised the arm attached to Stormbreaker and cut it off. The axe head fell with a clunk to the ground, now assembled.

The axe sprang to life, sparking electricity through the air. It hovered above the ground, then flew into Thor's open hand. Thor awoke, his eyes bright blue with electrical power. In a flash of light, he was standing, fully-healed and adorned in Asgardian armour.

"How do I look?' Thor asked as electricity sparked from his body.

"I'll be honest, brother. You look terrible." Loki joked.

"Ah, you're just jealous of my new axe." Thor said, feeling the weight of the weapon in his hand.

"Or perhaps, you're just ripping off your brother." Loki sneered, pulling out the Leviathan axe.

Thor smiled and looked around him.

"Friends, brother, father-in-law," Thor announced. "I feel it is too late to go to Knowhere. Surely Thanos has the reality stone, and we must go to Midgard to ensure the last stones don't fall into his clutches. Who will join me?"

"Oh, where there's indiscriminate violence, I'm in!" Rocket stated. "let's kill this son of a bitch!"

"I am Groot!" Groot yelled.

"Language, young tree!" Thor replied.

"Ah, we're no fighters." Brok said, waving his arm dismissively. "we'd probably slow you down."

"He's right, we'll stay here and maybe make this place somewhere the remaining dwarves can call home again." Sindri added.

Thor looked to Kratos. "Brother? This is your last chance to join me before it's too late. Don't sit this one out. We need you."

Kratos thought for a moment. He looked down at Mimir.

"Come on, brother. One more fight."

Krato sighed.

"I will let the boy decide."

Thor smiled and turned to Loki. "What do you say, 'boy'?

Loki sighed heavily. "You said I wasn't ready to have this axe, father, but the axe chose me. Mother chose me. She thinks I'm ready, and as much as I hate to say it, we should fight this fight. Like I said, you can't protect me forever. Let me prove that I'm able to protect myself."

"Very well." Kratos said reluctantly.

"...But," Loki started. "There's still Alfheim..."

"Okay, everybody, get ready. The first trip through the Bifrost can be a bit nauseating." Thor said as Stormbreaker charged up.

"I mean, the beaches, the wine." Loki continued. "And are you sure, no necromancy?"

"No necromancy!" Thor replied sternly.

"I'll see you on the other side." Loki said, a small grin on his face.

"Do not get yourself killed, boy." Kratos ordered.

"Trust that I will do my best." Loki replied.

The group was engulfed in a flash of multi-coloured light, and were gone, leaving nothing except a nordic circle pattern on the floor.

Brok and Sindri stood for a moment, then turned and walked away.

"Good to see _he _hasn't changed." Sindri said, sarcastically.

"He's changed. You see how he let someone _else_ make a decision?" Brok asked.

"True, that is weird for him. Hope they kill that purple bastard."

"I'm sure they'll whoop his scrote-chinned ass back to Titan! "Brok chuckled. "Now come on, we have a station to fix!"


	19. The Final Stone

**19**

**The Final Stone**

Outside of the Golden City, the battle was slowly turning into a bloodbath as Thanos' forces ploughed into the Wakandan defenders. There wasn't much that could be done to stem the endless tide of Outriders that surrounded the city's energy shield, and the defenders were losing.

Bucky stabbed wildly into the monster on top of him. The Outsider's screams and shrieks slowly died off as the creature lost too much blood to continue living. Steve and King T'Challa kicked, punched and scratched their way through the swarm, but still more came. Thousands of the berserking creatures clawed, scrambled and climbed over each other to breach the small opening in the Wakandan shield.

Overhead, War Machine sent a volley of rocket fire into the swarm, vaporizing hundreds, but still more came. His supporting fire was cut short as a giant hammer knocked him out of the sky.

Cull recalled his hammer and sneered as War Machine slammed into the ground.

T'Challa, caught off-balance, didn't notice the Outrider charging him head-on. The creature tackled him and tossed the king around across the dirt. Another Outrider joined in the fun, tossing him around like a ragdoll.

Steve tried to fight off the aliens as they piled on top of him, but all he could do was protect his vital organs from the slashes and scratches that slowly ate away at his armour and flesh.

"There's too many of them!" Banner cried out as the Outrider horde clambered all over his Hulkbuter armour, scratching bit by bit into the metal that protected him. He let out one last yell of defiance as he waited for his inevitable death.

Suddenly, a blast of multicoloured light shot from the sky to the ground. The Outrider army stopped and paused as they looked on. Their curiosity was rewarded with a volley of electricity as Stormbreaker shot out of the beam, zapping any outrider it came near with a blast of lightning. Another axe shot from the beam. Leviathan zipped around the battlefield, chopping outrider bodies like hot butter, and freezing any that came too close to its frosted blade. The beam dissipated, revealing the heroes within. Thor, Kratos, Loki, Groot and Rocket, all lined up. Thor and Loki held out their hands, and their respective axes returned to them.

"Haha! You guys are so screwed, now!" Banner yelled across the battlefield.

"Let's kill us some bad guys!" Mimir roared.

"Ready, boy?" Kratos asked as the waves of outriders charged towards them.

"As I'll ever be..." Loki said, his black robes becoming engulfed in ice armour in a flash of light.

The group charged the oncoming swarm. Kratos activate the Stark-designed wings and flew straight into the endless tide, his sheer brute momentum slicing through dozens of Outriders before he landed. He rolled to the ground, let go of the Blades of Chaos' handles and began to swing the flaming blades into the horde.

"BRING ME THANOS!" Thor roared as he leapt into the air, bringing Stormbreaker down onto the oncoming horde. The axe shot out a massive blast of lightning, shattering the ground and killing hundreds of outriders.

"Glad you could make it, Ghost. Thor." Steve said as he caught up to them. "Where the hell did you go?!"

"I will explain when I'm not busy!" Kratos barked back, his blades gracefully slicing through the Outrider swarm. Dozens charged him, and dozens fell. He grabbed one by its hind leg, smashed it into the ground, and tossed it into its brethren, knocking back a column of the scrambling creatures.

"I'll explain, I'm not terribly busy," Mimir said as he bounced around on Kratos' belt. "We were kidnapped by a...behind you, brother! By a wizard who wanted to reunite Kratos with his son at Thor's request. Then we...oof! Fought a death god, undead Asgardians, aliens, Thanos, MORE aliens, evil cultists and finally a fallen angel. Now we're here. You're welcome!"

"There's...too many questions to ask, so I won't bother. Good to have you back." Steve answered, stabbing an Outrider in the neck with his Wakandan-made shields.

Loki teleported into the air and used his own magic to hover above the battle.

"Let's try this new upgrade." He said to himself. He aimed the axe's blade at the opening of the energy shield and closed his eyes. The axe shot a beam of hyper-frozen air at the opening, freezing the swarm as they squirmed past each other to get in. The beam cut through the herd, the Outrider blood freezing to the ground and creating a surface of ice. The Outriders slipped and tripped as they tried to get through the shield's opening.

"Not so threatening now, are you?!" Loki laughed out loud as he watched the creatures slide on the ice like dogs.

Cull Obsidian looked up. He grunted as he aimed his hammer to the sky, once again. Loki noticed the incoming hammer just in time and teleported out of the way. Cull looked around, confused as to where his target went.

"Hello there." Loki said directly behind Cull. Cull jumped and spun around, bringing his hammer down on Loki. Loki stood and smiled as the hammer crashed down on him. The hammer slammed into the dirt, shooting up earth and weeds with the force of its impact. Cull raised his hammer and did a double-take as Loki was still standing there, smiling.

"Try again, if you would like to." Loki jeered.

Cull approached Loki and moved his hand through the projection. His confusion was quelled quickly as Loki brought his axe down into Cull's shoulder. Cull screamed as the axe froze his arm. He swung his unfrozen arm wildly, hitting Loki square in the chest. Loki went tumbling across the field, then teleported away. Cull looked at his shoulder.

"What was that?!" Proxima said, removing her spear from a Wakandan soldier.

"He tricked me!" Cull replied.

"Fool! Focus on the big ones. I'll deal with the smart ones." Proxima scolded.

Cull nodded and turned his eyes to Bruce and the Hulkbuster armour.

/

"Behind you!" Lexie warned Kratos as warning lights lit up on his HUD. Kratos turned around and pulled out the Cestus, smashing it into the face of an Outrider as it leapt for him. The Outrider's face crumbled, sprayed blood all over Kratos' armour.

"You're welcome." Lexie said as Kratos fought on.

"You are developing an attitude, helmet." Kratos grunted as he smashed the Cestus into the gut of another creature.

"I spent enough time with you, big guy. I'm a learning computer." Lexie replied.

"Then learn how to fire those rockets." Kratos replied.

"Very well, automated rocket fire activated. Watch the backblast area."

Kratos heard a chunk as the rocket pods on his shoulders activated, sending a volley into the swarm that continued to breach the shield.

Kratos backed into Loki, and the two spun around. They both relaxed as they each saw who it was.

"I have a cool idea." Loki said.

"Will it kill?" Kratos asked.

"Oh yes." Loki said with a smirk. "Spin on of your chain sword things."

Kratos turned to the swarm, pulled out a blade and spun it on its chain, creating a whirlwind of flame as it spun. Loki stood behind Kratos and swung the Leviathan axe. The axe created a blast of air which pushed against the flame whirlwind created by Kratos' blade. The massive wave of flame blew across the battlefield, engulfing hundreds of Outriders in flame. The horde began to flail and writhe aimlessly as the godly flame melted their flesh instantly.

Loki swung the axe again, sending a burst of wind across the field. The charred Outrider bodies shattered, turning into dust as the wind carried their ashes away.

"You are improving." Kratos said. "A good warrior uses his wits to fight."

"Doesn't explain how _you _keep winning fights." Loki said with a grin.

"Watch it..." Kratos grunted as his suit sent another volley of rockets into the swarm.

Kratos turned to the rumblings in the distance. Something bigger than Outriders was coming. Much bigger. The trees were violently uprooted by something approaching from underground. The shield flickered as the ground underneath expanded upward. There was a deafening crash as massive machines exploded from the ground. Giant wheels, propelled by blades that chopped through the ground, cam pouring out from the ground, eviscerating Outriders and Wakandans alike. The wheels split off from each other and began to carve random paths through the battlefield.

"Focus that fire of the left flank, Sam." War Machine's voice said over the comms.

"I'm doing it!" Falcon answered.

Kratos watched as one of the machines came straight for him. He waited for it to reach him, then dodged out of the way, recovered and kicked the side of the machine's armour. The machine fell over, slid a few meters and came to a stop. Kratos jumped onto the machine, found the cockpit and punched his fist into the hull. The metal separated easily, revealing the Chitauri pilot inside. Kratos pulled the jittering alien out and ripped him in half. Purple blood spilt onto his armour.

He threw away the Chitauri body and looked to the flank. Natasha and Okoya were in the direct path of a machine cluster. Kratos activated his wings and flew over.

"Get down!" He roared as he landed and held out his arms to stop the machines. Before they reached him, a red energy field engulfed the machines, stopping them instantly and lifting them off the ground. Kratos looked behind him. Wanda was standing there, her arms and eyes glowing with red energy. She looked behind her and saw a horde of Outriders charging them. With a grunt, she pulled the machines past her, crushing the swarm under the wheels as they skidded across the ground.

"You have improved." Kratos said.

"I had a horrible teacher." Wanda said with a smirk.

"Why was she up there all this time?" Okoya asked.

"Guys, we got a vision situation here!" Falcon announced over the comms.

He turned to Natasha. "Where is he?"

Natasha pointed to the tower in the distance. Kratos leapt into the air and soared towards the tower.

"Somebody get to Vision!" Steve yelled over the radio.

"I'm heading there." Kratos replied.

"I got 'em!" Bruce called out.

"I'm on my way- ungh!" Wanda grunted before her radio cut out.

"Guys, Vision needs backup now!" Bruce called out.

/

"I thought you were formidable, machine." Corvus sneered as his spear dug deeper into Vision's chest. "But you're dying. Like any man."

Vision's eyes darted to something behind Corvus. Corvus gasped and dodged just in time to miss a slash from the Blades of Chaos. Corvus ripped the spear from Vision's chest and spun around.

"The Hero of Xandar!" Corvus exclaimed. "I will bring your head on a trophy to fa-"

Corvus was cut short as Kratos chopped his head off faster than he could react. Corvus' body collapsed to the ground. Kratos put the blades away and knelt beside vision. Steve burst through the treeline.

"Sorry I could not live up to your expectations, War God." Vision groaned as the wound sent flickers of light through his damaged body.

"What repairs can be made, now?" Kratos asked, looking at the stab wound.

"Nothing can be done here." Vision replied. "Get me back up there."

Kratos looked up at the tower. He let out his wings.

"Vision!" Wanda cried out as she landed, running to Vision and kneeling beside him.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

Vision's eyes went wide as a high pitched sounds came from the Mind Stone. Vision grunted in pain as he bent over.

"What? What is it?!" Wanda asked.

Vision's eyes darted left and right, scanning the forest.

"He's here." He replied.

The forest had grown silent as Thano's siege craft lifted off the ground into the atmosphere. The wind began to pick up as the trees began to creak.

"Everybody on my position. We got incoming." Steve said sternly over the radio.

"What the hell?" Natasha said as she scanned the creaking trees.

Bruce turned as the wind behind him began to pick up. A strange portal began to open up in the distance. The portal formed fully, and out stepped the Mad Titan, Thanos. Kratos unsheathed his blades as the group formed a line around Vision.

"Guys," Bruce stated. "That's him."

"Do not go against him alone. You will die." Kratos ordered. "Attack from the flanks. He has many stones, but only two eyes."

"Incoming!" Mimir yelled.

The group dodged as a beam of purple energy smashed into the dirt. Kratos felt the impact of rocks and dirt on his helmet.

"Lexie. Find a way to kill him." Kratos ordered.

"Warning. I'm reading an ungodly amount of power coming from this guy. Suggest immediate withdrawal."

"No withdrawal this time." Kratos muttered. "This time, neither of us leave until one is dead."

"Kratos. Wanda. Guard Vision. The rest of us, you heard the man, attack his flanks!" Steve yelled. "Stay sharp!"

Thanos looked on as Bruce and Steve charged him. He pointed his glove at Bruce, and in a flash of turquoise, Bruce began to move in slow motion. He glided through Thanos as if he were made of air, then ghosted into the rock in the distance. Thanos lifted his power on Bruce, embedding him in the rock.

Steve jumped onto Thanos, ramming his shields into Thanos' skull. Thanos grunted, then reached behind him. He grabbed Steve and plunged him into the ground, creating a small crater in the dirt. T'Challa and Falcon came at Thanos from both flanks. Thanos looked up at Falcon as he strafed him with machine gunfire. He pointed the gauntlet at Falcon, and in a burst of blue, turned Falcon's wings into hyperdense material, too heavy to fly. Falcon fell to the ground. He tried to get up, but his ultra-heavy wings held him to the ground with their weight.

"Wanda." Vision groaned. "It's time."

"No!" Wanda replied.

"They can't stop him, Wanda, but we can."

Wanda looked to the battle.

"Look at me!" Vision said, grabbing Wanda's arm. "You have the power to destroy the stone."

"Don't…" Wanda pleaded.

"You must do it, Wanda, please." Vision said, placing Wanda' hand on his cheek. "We are out of time."

"I can't." Wanda whispered.

"I will defend you until the end." Kratos added. "If I fall, you are all that's left. If I fall...you must do it."

"If you were here, would you do it?!" Wanda screamed.

Kratos sighed. "You must."

"If he gets the stone, half the universe dies." Vision said, his eyes twitching, trying to hold back his emotions. "It's not fair. It shouldn't be you, but it is. It's alright...You could never hurt me."

Wanda's lower lip quivered. She looked into Vision's eyes and stepped back.

Black Panther leapt into the air, punching and scratching Thanos in the back. Thanos lurched forward onto his knees. T'Challa moved to kick Thanos down, but he was slowed to a halt in mid-air in a flash of green. Thanos picked himself up, turned around and punched T'Challa's face several times. Thanos released him from the Time Stone's power, and the momentum of Thanos' fist sent T'Challa flying backwards into the forest.

One by one, the Avengers fell. Bucky, Groot, War Machine, Widow, Okoya, all attacking him at once, in different directions. Thanos brushed every attack off his shoulders, knocking down everybody who challenged him. Some got back up only to be knocked back down again.

Thanos caught his breath, then turned to Kratos.

"The Hero of Xandar..." Thanos said. "I knew I would face you again. Eventually."

"This is your last chance." Kratos announced.

"No. It's yours." Thanos replied.

Kratos looked behind him. To Wanda and Vision.

"I will do my job. You will do yours."

Wanda held back tears as she nodded. She held her hand up to Vision's head, and a beam of red energy blasted from her palm to the Mind Stone. Vision's eyes widened as he began to feel the stone break.

Kratos turned to Thanos and activated the helmet. He let his wings extend and blasted towards the Titan. Thanos shot a beam of purple energy straight at Kratos. Kratos crossed the Blades of Chaos over her body, the dwarven runes' magic deflecting the beam as it hit them. Kratos tackled Thanos to the ground and brought his blades down towards Thanos' neck. Thanos closed the gauntlet and touched the stones to Kratos' forehead.

There was a flash of red, green and orange as Kratos' vision went dark. He looked up. In the darkness, the only thing that could be seen was Thanos, The time, soul and reality stone glowing in their sockets.

"Where have you taken us?" Kratos asked.

"Nowhere," Thanos replied. "We are still on the ground on Earth. I projected our spirits to this dimension so we could talk. In here, hours may pass, but it will only be seconds on Earth. Gives us some time to discuss things."

"There is nothing to discuss." Kratos said, swinging a Blade of Chaos through Thanos' body. The blade glided through Thanos. Thanos looked down to his chest, then back to Kratos.

"We can't hurt each other here," Thanos said. "I made sure of that."

The two stood silently for a few seconds.

"You realize you are only delaying the inevitable." Thanos said.

"Not if I kill you." Kratos replied.

"What do you fight for, Spartan? I see your mind, now. You were happy to sit out of thousands of years of war, but now, you take up arms. Why? Because Eternity told you to?"

"You destroyed my home. You butchered my neighbour. You killed thousands. You destroyed a planet...You threatened my son."

"Ah...the Frost Giant. I understand. Family can be a powerful tool. And they can be a handicap. Family can make us monsters."

"You ramble, alien. Release me, or make your point."

"I assumed you would understand. You sought retribution with the Avengers, but you were seeking it in the wrong place. Step aside. Allow me to complete my work, and you will have saved the universe."

"You are a murderer."

"And what are you? What did you kill for? Personal gain? Revenge? I do not kill for such petty things. I kill to save. And I will save everything for future generations if you simply...step aside."

Kratos paused.

"You are worried I will kill your son," Thanos said, closing his eyes and nodding. "I promise you, he will be spared."

Kratos clenched his teeth. "And what of Thor?"

"If it means you allow me to complete my task, I will spare him too."

"And what of Rogers?" Kratos said, walking towards Thanos. "And Natasha, and Wanda, and Stark, and the soldiers your army already killed on this battlefield? I abandoned Xandar. I will not abandon Earth."

Thanos frowned.

"Fine."

With an orange glow, Thanos disappeared.

"When I have finished," Thanos' voice echoed through the darkness, "You can be certain that your son will be among those who perish. You can stay here, and think over your mistake."

Kratos spun in all directions, blades in hand. Thanos was gone. Kratos could not let him reach the stone. His hands began to glow red with flame. Kratos let out a roar of rage.

In a flash of red flame, Kratos found himself conscious again, on the Wakandan ground. He looked to Vision. Thanos was halfway to Wanda, who was desperately trying to hold him off with a beam of red energy.

"Ghost…" Steve groaned as he lay on the ground. "Don't let him close his fist."

Kratos nodded, got up and charged Thanos. Thanos turned around at the sound of Kratos' charging feet. He turned to attack, but Kratos grabbed the palm of the gauntlet, forcing it open. Thanos launched a punch at Kratos' face, but Kratos caught his fist with his other hand. The two pulled and pushed each other, grunting and scowling as they dragged each other along the ground. The earth beneath them began to crack and open up under the strain of the two wrestling forces.

"Lexie!" Kratos grunted.

"Would you like me to shoot a missile at his face?"

"Do it!"

Thanos recoiled as a missile exploded in his face. Kratos released his free hand from Thanos' fist and pulled out a Blade of Chaos. The blade plunged into Thanos' side, who screamed in pain. The smell of cauterized flesh entered Kratos' nose. Kratos spun and lobbed Thanos away from Vision and Wanda. Thanos rolled into the rocks beside Bruce, who managed to get his arms free of the mountainside. Bruce wrapped the Hulkbuster's arm around Thanos' neck, trapping him in place.

"I love you…" Vision muttered as he exploded into pieces. The Mind stone shattered, sending a yellow shockwave of energy through the forest. Kratos staggered under the force of the wave, then quickly regained his balance. He looked to Thanos, still trapped in Bruce's chokehold.

"Something is off…" Mimir said. "Brother…"

Kratos pulled out the Blade of Olympus and charged the Mad Titan. Thanos aimed the gauntlet at Kratos, but Kratos swung the bade into Thanos' arm, chopping off the gauntlet from the Titan's body. Thanos screamed in agony as his arm fell to the ground.

"Oh my god…" Bruce said through the armour's comms. "We did it…"

"Brother…" Mimir said. "That's not him."

"What?" Kratos asked.

"A good warrior uses his wits." Thanos said, suddenly breaking into a smile. Kratos scowled and cut Thanos' head off. Thanos' head rolled to the floor and lay for a moment, before disappearing in a burst of red energy. Thanos' body followed suit, exploding in a blast of red light.

"No..."

"Ghost!" Wanda's voice screamed. Kratos turned to see Thanos, holding Vision by the neck. He ripped the stone out of Vision's head, and Vision went limp.

"NO!" Kratos roared as he sprinted towards Thanos.

Thanos held the stone in his hand, just as he moved the stone over its socket, he screamed as the leviathan axe cut his hamstring. He dropped to one knee as Loki stood over him.

"Grab the stone!" Kratos roared.

Loki reached his arm for the stone, but Thanos elbowed him in the face, sending him flying into a tree. Loki recovered and threw the axe at the Titan. The axe zipped around and hit Thanos' hand. Thanos recoiled in pain as the stone dropped to the ground. Kratos dove to the ground after it. There was a flash of blue, and Kratos felt the space between him and the stone stretch. Thanos walked up to the stone and bent down to collect it, but the stone shot away, into Loki's hand.

"Looking for this?" Loki jeered as he tossed the stone up and down in his hand.

Thanos shot a purple beam at Loki, who teleported away. Kratos charged Thanos. There was a flash of blue and red, and Kratos yelled in pain as a razor-sharp rock impaled through his stomach from behind. Kratos tumbled to the ground. Another flash of blue and red, then several more spikes stabbed through him from the ground in every direction. His arms, legs and chest were impaled, leaving him immobile on the ground.

"Stay down. Your strength will not save you." Thanos said.

"Father!" Loki said as he teleported next to Kratos.

"Run, boy!" Kratos said, trying to get himself free of the tangled spikes that riddled his body. "Get the stone out of here!"

"I can get your out!"

Loki held out his hand, and one of the stone spikes slipped out of Kratos' leg. Kratos let out a groan of pain.

"Behind you, Loki!" Mimir screamed.

A giant purple hand grabbed Loki by the shoulder and tossed him away. Loki tumbled across the ground. He tried to teleport away. There was a red flash of the Reality Stone. Loki flickered but was unable to disappear. Thanos pulled Loki towards him with the space stone and grabbed him by the neck. Loki tried to recall the Leviathan axe, but Thanos caught it in mid-air, and snapped it in two with his fingers.

"Where is it?!" Thanos roared as he squeezed Loki's neck in his giant hand.

"Far away!" Loki whispered through his crushed windpipe.

"You lie..." Thanos said. He took Loki's arm and ripped it off with one quick motion. Loki tried to scream, but his windpipe was shut All that came out of his mouth was a coarse gurgle. Thanos tossed Loki to the ground. Loki tumbled and came to a stop in the distance. He began to roll wildly on the ground, screaming and clutching his shoulder socket.

"LOKI!" Kratos roared. He felt Eternity's power surge through him. The stone spikes through his body began to melt away.

"I told you, family was a handicap." Thanos said sternly.

Thanos held the arm up, and opened the hand. There, in Loki's severed palm, was the Mind Stone, glowing yellow. Thanos quickly took the stone and jammed it into its socket on the gauntlet. He let out a roar as the power of all six stones began to course through his body. He raised the gauntlet and moved his fingers into the snapping position.

"Finally- oof!"

Thanos let out a grunt as Kratos tackled him. Kratos stabbed the ultra-hot blades into the Titans shoulders, got to his feet and pulled Thanos over his head. Kratos swung the blades over his head and into the ground, dragging Thanos with them.

Thanos slammed into the ground and rolled across the dirt, hitting trees and rocks as he went. When he came to a stop, he looked through blurred vision as the light from Kratos' aura approached him. Thanos once again moved his fingers to snap, but Kratos stamped his foot into the palm of the gauntlet, holding it open. The gauntlet sunk into the ground, and Thanos roared with frustration.

"You don't...know what you're doing!" Thanos grunted.

"I know what _I'm _doing." Said Thor.

Kratos turned his head to see Thor approaching, his eyes glowing blue, Stormbreaker in hand. Thor nodded to Kratos, and the two, both at the same time, brought the Blade of Olympus and Stormbreaker into Thanos' chest. Thanos let out a gurgle of pain as the two weapons drove into his lungs.

"I told you, you'd die for that." Thor whispered into Thanos' ear. Kratos stood back and watched as the Titan's life slowly drained from him.

"Tend to Loki, brother." Thor said.

Kratos' rage died down as he watched Thanos' blood spread from his body. Thanos gurgled, gasped, then stopped moving.

"We did it." Thor said with a sigh of relief. He pulled the axe from Thanos' chest. Kratos pulled the blade of Olympus from Thanos and ran to tend to Loki.

Then there was a cough from Thanos' body.

"You..sh…" Thanos said suddenly as blood spat from his mouth. "You shoul…"

Thor leaned in to hear. Kratos stopped and turned around.

"You shouldn't have...taken your foot off the gauntlet."

'NO!"

There was a flash of bright light as Thanos snapped.

Kratos felt the surge of energy blast through him. Then nothing. The forest was quiet. The trees were deadly still. Everyone stood quietly for a moment, trying to process what just happened.

"What did you do?" Thor asked Thanos. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Thanos looked to his burnt arm. The gauntlet was steaming and melted, and the skin on his left-hand side was charred and smouldering. He coughed up another spurt of blood and quickly fell into a portal.

With that, he was gone.

Kratos stood still, his eyes unable to leave the spot where Thanos disappeared.

"Where'd he go?" Steve said as he ran up to the scene, clutching his side. "Thor? Ghost? Where did he go?!"

Nobody could speak.

"Steve?" Bucky said from the treeline.

Kratos watched as Bucky's's body began to crack, and break apart. In a gust of wind, his body evaporated into ash, which blew away in the light breeze. All that remained of him was his gun, which clanked to the ground as he disappeared.

Steve approached the pile of ashes and fell to his knees. He put his hand to the ashes, then looked with confusion to Thor. Then to Kratos.

Kratos watched on as T'Challa, Groot, Wanda and Falcon met the same fate. Each one dissolving to ashes, and blowing away in the wind.

"Really? Me too? I'm not even technically alive! Ah, bollocks…"

Kratos looked down just in time to watch Mimir fade away.

"Father?"

Kratos turned to Loki, who was staggering towards him, clutching his bleeding shoulder socket. Kratos saw the cracks forming on Loki's skin.

"No…" Kratos muttered as he began to run towards Loki.

"Father!" Loki said as his face began to dissolve.

"HOLD ON!" Kratos screamed as he reached for him.

Kratos touched Loki's hand just as it turned to dust. Kratos's breathing grew heavy as he watched the ashes that were his son blow away with the wind.

Kratos sunk to his knees and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was surrounded by the darkness.

"Yet again, you have proven all you can do is fail. You were given every opportunity to change the course of history, every advantage, every power, and you let it happen anyway."

Kratos looked up through the darkness. A figure stood in the distance, barely recognizable, but Kratos recognized him.

"You have done enough. You held back. You allowed yourself to grow attached, and look at what it has cost you?"

Kratos lowered his head.

"It's time to let me back in, old man. It's time to release yourself from your restraint. I will fix what you have broken."

Kratos felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his younger self, wearing nothing but what he wore in the final days of the battle on Mount Olympus, and scowling with the face of the madman he once was.

"What will you do?" Kratos asked.

"We will have our revenge." His younger self replied.


	20. Ghost of Sparta

**20**

**Ghost of Sparta**

John sat, at the paper before him. The parchment had sat empty on his writing-table for hours, but he knew the visions would return to him, as they always had, as they always will. What divine will was behind the horrors he was forced to witness? What sin had he committed to be forced to see into the darkest of futures, and write the account of the doom that waited for all of mankind?

He hadn't slept for days. The food tasted like ashes in his mouth, and no drink could wash away the nightmares. But something compelled him to keep going. He had to warn the future, warn humanity of what awaited. Something was coming, something beyond the primitive thoughts and technologies of the modern era.

He looked to the cup on the desk and reached his arm for it. He stopped, then looked at his arm as it shook with exhaustion. He sighed, and took the cup. The water was stale from sitting there for so many days, undrank, forgotten.

"Almighty, grant me the strength to witness the next revelation."

John put down the cup and closed his eyes. He felt a pulse of energy flow through his body, and he felt himself rise out of his chair.

He opened his eyes, and looked down. He was standing far above the Earth, high enough to see entire continents. Then, no faster than as he blinked his eyes, he was standing in a field of stone tablets, each marked in a language he had never seen before. He looked behind him, to the sound of speaking. There, standing in this field of stones, was a massive group of people, all dressed in black clothing of a design completely foreign to him. Before the group stood a priest of some kind. John listened to the speech.

"So many have been lost, it feels impossible to move on without them. But move on, we must, for in the darkest of times is when the brightest of us will shine…"

John looked at the crowd. He scanned the faces. There was one that stood out. John approached the face of the man. Pale skin, red tattoo, and eyes that had seen so much pain. John approached the man with curiosity.

Then, the pale man's eyes turned to look at him.

John was taken aback. As far as he knew, he was invisible in these visions. No one had ever looked directly at him. Suddenly, John was pulled away, ripped through space and time, to another vision. He found himself flying through the void of space, past stars, and planets, before finally landing feet-first on a whole other world.

He looked around. Everything was on fire. Bodies littered the scorched earth, and storms raged in the sky. Screams in the distance. Then, he saw him.

The same pale man, but now, wings of light sprang from his back, and blades of flame held in both hands. John approached the man. He could feel the rage emanating from this creature, the sadness, the desire for death.

"What are you?" John whispered to himself.

The pale man's head whipped to look at John. His eyes were glowing white, and his blades glowed violet with unnatural heat.

"I am Death."

The pale man reached for him. John let out a yell of fear, closed his eyes and fell backward. He opened his eyes and found himself on the floor of his study. He stood up, and looked down at the parchment before him, now covered in the scribbles his arm blindly wrote as he flew through his vision.

He read it back to himself.

"So I looked, and behold, a pale man. And the name of him was Death, and he left Hell in his wake. And power was given to them over all things, to kill with his sword, with his hunger for vengeance, with his hatred, and with the beast within him."

/

Kratos stood silently, looking to the ground, fists clenched as the priest spoke to the crowd of people, all dressed in black, all gathered to say goodbye to their lost loved ones. Seven days since the snap. It felt like a bad dream.

"So many have been lost," The priest spoke, "It feels impossible to move on without them. But move on, we must, for in the darkest of times is when the brightest of us will shine…"

Kratos heard a strange noise in front of him. He looked up to see the outline of a man, dressed in ancient Greek garb. The man was transparent, like a ghost, or a hallucination, and he gave Kratos a surprised look before fading into the air. Kratos looked around to spot the man, but he appeared to be gone. Kratos gave a dismissive huff. Not the first time ghosts tried to speak to him, and he truly didn't care to worry about it.

"You okay?" Natasha whispered.

"Fine." Kratos mumbled.

The eulogy continued, but Kratos felt little use for the comforting words of the priest. All he could feel was anger. Anger he hadn't felt in thousands of years. An anger he hoped he would never feel again. But here he stood. Mimir was gone. Loki...was gone. And once again, Thanos got what he wanted. Kratos turned and began to move through the crowd.

"Where you going?" Steve asked.

Kratos pushed through the crowd of black suits, through the cries and tears and grief that surrounded him. He walked down the street, through the empty streets of New York, into a small alleyway.

"Eternity?" He quietly asked the air.

The alley was quiet.

"I know you can hear me."

Silence.

"You give me power, you send me on a task, and now I ask for an audience, and you refuse to show your face to me?"

The alleyway sat motionless as rain began to fall on Kratos' black suit.

"Thanos succeeded, and now you hide?! Answer me!"

Kratos looked to the sky. Nothing.

"Hey, big guy."

Kratos turned. "Natasha."

Natasha slowly approached the angered demigod. "You doing okay?"

Kratos turned away from the Widow. "It is not your concern."

Natasha sighed. "I know that face. That's the face of someone who's about to make a mistake."

"You know nothing."

"I do, actually. I've looked in the mirror enough times to know what the hunger for revenge looks like."

"What I do is my own business. There is nothing to discuss."

Natasha sat down on the lid of a nearby trash can.

"I remember having a conversation with someone about the bad things we've done. How we were going to redeem our past actions together. How we wouldn't let our personnel files define us. Revenge didn't release you two-thousand years ago. It won't release you now, and it won't bring Loki back."

Kratos' breathing grew heavier with every word Natasha uttered.

"Don't go off on some wild goose chase around the universe, looking for one guy. No one knows where he is, and he still has the stones. We need a plan if we're going to-"

"It is not your decision!" Kratos snapped at her. "Do not try to change my mind. You will fail."

Natasha stared at the ground in thought. "There are people down here. People in desperate need of heroes right now. People who have lost family, friends...those people need the Avengers. Don't abandon them."

"I am not an Avenger." Kratos replied coldly.

"No?" Natasha asked. "All those times you helped us, all those people you saved, they were...what to you?"

"Mistakes."

"I see…"

Natasha stood up from the trash can and moved to exit the alley.

"I guess the man who said we would redeem ourselves together is gone?" She asked.

"That man died in Wakanda, when his son died before his eyes."

"Then I hope you find what you're looking for." Natasha said quietly before turning the corner and disappearing from Kratos' view.

Kratos watched as she disappeared from sight.

/

Steve stood in the rain as wreaths were laid down at the epitaph. He tried to keep himself composed as he laid a wreath for Buckie. He gave a quick salute, and moved back into the crowd. A hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to look into Natasha's eyes.

"How's Ghost?" Steve asked.

Natasha just frowned and shook her head. Steve's gaze lowered as he sighed with frustration.

"He's a loose cannon. We'll probably be better off without him."

"I guess we have no choice." Natasha said, looking down at the wreath for Buckie. "I'm sorry."

"He did his duty. That's all we can ask for any of us."

/

Kratos looked at himself in the mirror. He scanned his face. The wrinkles, the scars, the tattoo, the eyes. He replayed the battle over and over in his head. He should have chopped Thanos' head off. He should have chopped the alien into little pieces until he was nothing but blood in the grass. He shouldn't have assumed he was dead.

He looked down at the razor in his hand, then to his beard. He raised the razor to his face, to the hair that hid his face for so many centuries, and began to shear it away. Chunks of hair fell into the sink as he cut away at his face until nothing was left.

Nothing, but the goatee on his chin.

He rubbed his hand over his smooth face, over his square jawline. The strangest thing to see again was his scowl. The scowl he wore as he killed his father. The scowl that was the last thing so many saw before they passed to the underworld. He was older, but the Ghost of Sparta was still under there, begging to be released.

Kratos sighed and looked to his bed, where his armor and weapons were laid out. He picked up the armor and began to put it on. The Blades of Chaos, he wrapped around his forearms. The Cestus bracelets on his wrists, the Blade of Olympus in his belt. He reached to his night table out of habit, but there was no Mimir to place on his belt this time.

He looked at the Leviathan Axe as it rested on his bed. He picked it up and held it in his hands for a moment.

"Faye...I'm sorry." Kratos whispered to the room. "I failed my oath to you, but I will not fail again. I will avenge our son."

He strapped the axe to his back and picked up his helmet. The HUD booted up as he placed it over his face.

"Good morning, Kratos." Lexie stated. "What is our mission today?"

"Find Thanos. Anyone that gets in our way dies."

"Very good."

The helmet collapsed into his armor with a metallic clunk. He turned from his bed to his room's door, but paused in place when he noticed the small furry creature standing in his doorway, arms crossed and resting his shoulder against the doorframe.

"Where do you think you're goin'?" Rocket asked.

"Out of my way." Kratos snarled, approaching the Raccoon. His armor thudded against the floor with each heavy step.

"You selfish, cold old man." Rocket said, snarling back at the Spartan. "You're just going to up and leave everybody here...without _me_?"

Kratos paused with confusion.

"You are _not _coming with me."

"Like hell, I'm not! You think you're the only one who wants revenge?"

"You will slow me down."

"I beg to differ." Rocket said, giving a snide grin. "You have no idea where he is, do you?"

Kratos stepped over Rocket and moved his way into the hall.

"That's what I thought." Rocket continued, following behind the demigod. "You take me with you, you let me help take this guy down, and I'll tell you where to start."

Kratos continued his way through the hall, past the training room. Scarlet Witch, Vision, Falcon, all gone now. Kratos looked away from the room as he went by.

"Come on, man. We all lost friends..." Rocket continued, his voice growing more quiet and desperate with every word. "Don't leave me here, wondering the rest of my life what I could've done to change things."

Kratos stopped walking and sighed heavily. "Where do you suggest I start?"

"Tell you once we're out of the system. Final offer."

Kratos rolled his eyes. "You fall behind, I leave you behind."

"I was about to tell you the exact same thing."

"We are not going by ship. You will need a suit."

"Say what, now?"

/

Kratos stepped outside, with Rocket strapped to his back in a tiny, freshly 3D-printed Stark suit.

"Whoever this Stark guy is, he's got nice taste." Rocket said as his HUD displayed the arsenal of weaponry hidden inside the small suit.

Kratos looked to the field decorating the front of the facility. Thor was sitting on the bench in the grass beside the driveway. Kratos approached the Asgardian, whose eyes were fixated on the fish in the pond nearby. He was dressed in mortal pajamas, and his hair was unkempt and greasy. Kratos sat down beside him.

"I think there were eight fish in there…" Thor whispered. "Now there's three."

"Don't blame yourself, big guy." Rocket said. "We all screwed the pooch on this one."

"I should have chopped his damn head off." Thor said, "I should have chopped everything off…"

Kratos stayed quiet as the two sat on the bench in silence.

"Every time I am alone with my thoughts," Thor whispered, holding back tears. "Every time I look at the stars, every time I close my eyes at night, I will live with the knowledge that I failed him. Him, and half the universe. I can never forgive myself for that."

"Forgiveness is something I have learned to go without," Kratos said quietly. "From others, or myself. All that remains is to avenge them."

"And how will you do that?" Thor asked.

"By finishing this."

Thor's eyes left the path of the fish to look into Kratos' eyes.

"You're leaving, then?"

"I am."

"When you find him, make him suffer."

"I will."

Thor gave a huff, then slowly moved his eyes back to the fish. Kratos stood up.

"I'm not sure I have the will to open the Bifrost for you." Thor said.

"No need."

"No need?" Rocket asked, confused.

In a flash of light, Kratos's ethereal wings sprang from his back. His eyes shone white with the power of the cosmos, and the grass at his feet began to smolder.

"Are you literally going to fly through space?!" Rocket grinned. "Hell, yeah!"

"I thought you could only do that if you were angry." Thor said, a look of confusion on his face.

"I _am_ anger." Kratos said, his voice echoing through the air before blasting into the sky.

"Let's go, go go!" Rocket said, raising his arms over his head with excitement as they left the ground.

Thor followed the demigod with his eyes as he flew through the cloud line. Once Kratos was gone from his sight, he slumped over and returned his eyes to the fish, swimming in slow circles in the pond.

/

"What is your plan when we get there?" Rocket asked as they whizzed by stars and planets.

"He will not expect us. We surprise him before he has time to react." Kratos replied.

"While I'm thinking about it, we couldn't stop him when there were ten of us! What are two of us gonna do?"

"He only won by pretending to be dead. He cannot pretend if he _is_ dead."

"Great words of wisdom, right there. I'll remember to put that on my fridge." Rocket said sarcastically.

"Where is our first stop, creature?"

"Our first stop is Xandar. They have a database of all the criminals in the galaxy, including the members of the Black Order."

"The Black Order is dead."

"Not all of them…"

"Explain."

"There's still one out there."

/

Kratos landed on the scorched surface of Xandar. Rocket jumped off his back and looked around. The cityscape was decayed and burnt, and many of the planet's once-great towers had all but crumbled to the ground. Kratos scanned the city. The once molten surface had long ago resolidified. Both Chitauri and Xandarian bones littered the city streets as they walked through the carnage. Mummified remains of mothers holding their children in their arms. Armoured Nova Corpsmen standing in battle formations, their charred bodies burned into position where they stood.

"I knew Thanos came through here, but I didn't think it was this bad…" Rocket said, looking around the battered city.

"Lexie, find me the Nova Corps headquarters." Kratos said.

"No need, I know where we're going." Rocket said quietly.

The two walked through the streets. Past the massive decayed bodies of Leviathans and the crashed Nova Corps Star Blasters. Past the ashes that flew into the air as their steps disturbed the ground.

"There it is. At least, there it was." Rocket said, pointing to the leaning tower in the distance.

The two approached the tower, the giant Nova Corps symbol on the side of the building was blackened and broken. Kratos walked up to the entrance, his feet cracking the broken glass that littered the ground.

"Where now?" Kratos asked.

"Just find me a computer, I'll do the rest." Rocket said.

Kratos wandered the empty lobby of the Headquarters. It didn't take long to find a console.

"Over here." Kratos said.

Rocket ran up and pressed a few buttons on the console. A dim holographic screen flickered open, and Rocket quickly began to look through the database. The faces of criminals scrolled past on the screen.

"Cull...Proxima...Gamora...Thanos...no, no...There. Got her."

The screen flickered as a female's face appeared before them. Blue skin, pointed cheekbones, black marks across her forehead and under her black eyes.

"Supergiant?" Kratos asked, reading the name.

"Yeah, I never understood the name either. Says that she left the Black Order for unknown reasons. We find her, and get her to tell us where Thanos is hiding."

"It says she is immune to damage." Kratos noticed.

"I dunno, I heard an explosion once did her in." Rocket replied. "Besides, I have something cooked up for her."

Kratos looked at the chains on his forearms. "Where must we go?"

"Her last recorded location was on Krylor. Let's start there."

"Good."

/

Supergiant sat, a drink in her hand, ignoring the bustle of the night club as Krylorians danced their woes away behind her. After the snap, the planet had grown chaotic, and every night became a night of parties, violence, and lust. There wasn't much the enforcement could do about it, but they still tried, bless their souls.

"Can't believe the old man did it." She said to herself as the A.I. bartender poured another drink into her empty glass. "Did I ever tell you about Thanos, the bastard?"

The robot shook its head.

Supergiant sighed. "I knew it was forbidden, but one day, just for a split second, I peered into his mind. I saw his plan, how expendable we were, how even we weren't safe from the snap. I had to leave. The way he treated Nebula. I knew it was a matter of time before he abandoned us all. He was no father of mine…"

She scowled and took the glass in one gulp, and tapped the empty against the table. The robot poured another drink into the glass.

"All I could do was feel relieved when the snap happened and I didn't fade away."

She downed the drink in one gulp.

"Another."

"You have exceeded the maximum quantity for one evening." The bartender said in a dry, robotic voice.

She scowled at the robot, then looked at the bar manager in the distance. The Krylorian twitched as she broke into his mind. He walked behind the bar, grabbed the bottle from the robot's hand and placed it beside her.

"Thanks." Supergiant said cheekily as the manager blankly walked back to where he was standing.

"Anyway, as I was saying-"

Suddenly, Supergiant felt a presence behind her. She turned around to come face-to-face with a scowling, pale-skinned human. Before she could react, Kratos grabbed her by the neck and threw her through the wall of the club. The citizens suddenly began to panic as the music abruptly stopped. The Krylorians all began to run for the exit.

Supergiant slammed through the wall and landed in the street outside. Debris and rocks fell around her as the wall collapsed. Kratos followed her out through the hole in the wall, scowling and breathing heavily through his nose.

"Where is he?!" Kratos roared.

"Your mother ever tell you not to hit a lady?" She replied with a sneer.

Supergiant wasted no time. She closed her eyes and tried to invade Kratos' mind, but something was blocking her. Pure, unadulterated rage. And something else... cosmic power from something more powerful than anything she's ever felt. There was a whoosh of a chain flying through the air, then a sizzling sound as a Blade of Chaos sliced through her arm.

She opened her eyes and looked to her arm, which was now nothing more than a steaming stump. She tried to scream, but Kratos' foot stomped into her chest, knocking the wind from her lungs. She tried to phase through him, to get away, but something was stunting her powers.

"Where is he?!" Kratos yelled again.

"I have no idea what you're-" Supergiant was cut short as the blade sliced her other arm clean off. This time, she could scream, and scream she did.

"Thanos." Kratos said. "You know where he is."

"No use trying to get away." Rocket said, walking up to the scene, holding a large, cylindrical device. "Psionic dampener. It's not my design, but the guy I stole it from was a smart cookie. You ain't going nowhere."

Supergiant tried to get a breath in, but the foot crushing her ribs pushed harder and harder.

"You...fools!" Supergiant said through labored breaths. "He has...completed his work! He would...have destroyed...the stones by now!"

Supergiant gave a laugh. Another sizzle sound and Supergiant's leg fell limply to the ground. No sound came from her mouth, just gasping noises and gurgling.

"Wrong answer!" Kratos roared. "Where is he?!"

"Hey, big guy," Rocket said uncomfortably, "Maybe you should slow down on the chopping."

"I have no time for this!" Kratos said, lifting his foot from Supergiant's chest and picking her off the ground by the neck. He grabbed his blade with the other hand and held it to her eye, the heat of the blade forming sweat on her forehead.

"He's…" Supergiant gurgled. "On a planet called the Garden."

"Coordinates," Kratos grunted. "Now."

"I don't know anything else!"

"I don't believe you."

Rocket looked away as Kratos dug the flaming blade into Supergiant's eye. The shrieks of agony echoed through the walls of the buildings.

"Ghost, we gotta go, we're about to have company." Rocket said hesitantly as sirens began to wail in the distance.

"It's official name is Planet 0259-S! I don't know anything else! I left that life behind me! Please!" Supergiant's desperate cries fell on deaf ears as Kratos scowled into her last working eye.

"Ghost!" Rocket yelled as the sirens grew louder.

Kratos huffed and threw the broken alien to the ground. With her one leg, she tried desperately to drag her armless body away from her attackers. As Kratos turned away from Supergiant, a squadron of enforcer ships turned the corner and hovered over them. Spotlights lit up the street.

"Halt!" Came an amplified voice from the ships. "You are under arrest for destruction of property, assault and attempted murder!"

"Ghost, what do we do here?" Rocket asked as he armed his suit's numerous weapons systems.

Rocket watched as Kratos activated his helmet and unleashed a volley of rockets from his armor. The rockets hit their targets, and each ship exploded in a brilliant flash. The ships fell in a molten heap of metal and flame to the ground. Krylorian police came pouring out of the burning vehicles, screaming as flames engulfed their bodies.

"We find the Garden." Kratos said sternly as he walked past Rocket, away from the screams of the Krylorians.

/

"That was cold." Rocket said as the two blasted through the void.

"I did what had to be done." Kratos said curtly.

"I've done some bad things, but that was...something else. The cops were innocent. Aren't we supposed to be the good guys?"

"Nothing will get in my way to Thanos. Nothing else matters. If you do not like it, you can find a ship and fly back to Earth."

Rocket stayed silent.

"We're approaching the coordinates for 0259-S." Rocket said after a long silence.

"Good. Be ready."

The green planet grew larger as they approached the system. The planet's ring glowed in the sunlight, but Kratos didn't notice the beauty of the world. All he cared for, all his focus was bent on seeing Thanos' head on a stick.

They landed on the lush surface. Rocket jumped off Kratos' back.

"Lexie. Scan for sentient life." Kratos said.

"There is one. Thirty-five kilometers bearing one, three, five degrees."

"Let's get this guy." Rocket said solemnly.

The two walked through the bushes. The sunset spread a red glow through the sky as alien birds chirped in the trees.

"Do you think Supergiant was lying?" Rocket asked, "When she said he destroyed the stones?"

"If he did," Kratos replied. "Then we have already failed."

"What do you think you'll do after?"

Kratos thought for a moment.

"If we are successful, then my work will be done. Perhaps, when we are done, I will live the rest of my life in peace. A small cottage in the mountains. Simple, quiet."

"And if we fail?"

Kratos thought of all the times his quest was completed. When he threw himself off the slopes of Olympus. When he stabbed himself through the chest with the blade of Olympus.

"I do not know what I will do."

"Well, when you go knit, or whatever it is retired gods do, how much for the flame blades?"

Kratos looked at the raccoon by his side.

"What? They're cool, and I want them! How much?"

"Not for sale."

"Okay, what about the metal boxing gloves?"

"No."

"The giant blue sword?"

"No."

"Come on, haggle with me, here!"

"No."

"We are approaching the lifesign." Lexie announced.

The two pushed their way through the tall grass, behind which sat a hut made of wood and weaves of fabric. Thanos' armor hung from a stick in the yard, and the garden was full of alien fruit.

"You…"

Thanos stood at the door of his hut, gauntlet in hand. The three locked eyes with each other. Rocket immediately opened fire on the titan with a volley of energy beams. Thanos blocked the beam with the gauntlet and staggered backward.

Kratos pulled the Blade of Olympus from his belt, and in a flash of light, his energy wings carried him near-instantly across the yard, bridging the distance between him and the Titan. Thanos lazily lifted the gauntlet to block the attack, but Kratos grabbed the gauntlet with one hand and stabbed Thanos through the gut with the other.

Thanos groaned with pain as blood poured from the gaping wound caused by the massive blade.

"You're too late." Thanos grunted.

"You lie." Kratos said, thrusting the blade farther into Thanos' belly. He looked at the gauntlet in his hand. The sockets were black and empty.

"Where did you hide them?!" Kratos roared.

"I didn't hide them." Thanos moaned. "The universe required correction. Beyond that, the stones served no purpose...beyond temptation."

"Where are they?!" Kratos screamed.

"Gone. Dust in the wind." Thanos groaned.

Kratos roared with rage, pulled the blade from Thanos, and grabbed Thanos' head with both hands. Thanos began to scream as he ineffectually tried to pull Kratos' hands from his head. He looked into Kratos' eyes. Kratos saw no plea for mercy in his enemy's eyes, and Thanos knew that he would receive none from the cold, glowing Spartan standing over him. The slow cracking of Thanos' skull caused Rocket to flinch and look away as Thanos' brains began to spill from his crumbling head. Kratos squeezed and squeezed until finally, Thanos' head collapsed fully, exploding in a burst of red mist. The screams of agony stopped abruptly, and the planet fell silent.

"Jesus, Ghost…" Rocket said, looking with shock at the bloody god that stood over Thanos' dead body.

"He is lying. They are here!" Kratos said as he began to search the hut. "Lexie, scan for energy signatures!"

"Kratos…" Lexie said. "I'm getting nothing."

"NO!" Kratos roared, ripping the walls of the hut apart, tearing up the floor and overturning every piece of furniture he could find.

"Ghost...I think he was telling the truth. Why would he let us kill him this easily if he kept them around?" Rocket said as he watched Kratos rip the hutt apart.

After hours of searching, digging through the yard and razing the hut to the ground, Kratos stopped searching. He looked at the gauntlet, still hanging from Thanos' cold body.

"We've done everything we could, buddy." Rocket said quietly. "Let's go home and find a pub, call it a day, huh?"

Kratos looked at his bloodied, dirt-covered hands. Thanos was dead. His revenge was ended, and he felt the same empty nothingness creep up inside him. The emptiness of killing Ares. The emptiness of killing Zeus. Only rage remained.

"I cannot go back. I must keep searching..."

"Ghost, we lost! We're done! There's nothing left to do!"

Kratos looked at the tears in Rocket's eyes and sighed.

"If you're not going to Earth, then at least get me to a planet with a ship. I'll fly my way back." Rocket said quietly.

"Fine."

/

Steve sat at his desk, the light from his computer screen illuminating the otherwise dark office. Reports of the chaos caused by the snap came in faster than he could read them. Buckie, now Fury was gone. The Avengers had no direction, no path to follow. What could they do against this? Fury was gone, along with half of his team. Thor was a broken man, barely able to get himself out of bed. Tony was still missing. Kratos was gone. It felt like he was the only one left in this whole damn building. Having seen enough, he turned his computer screen off and placed his head in his hands. The Avengers had never failed, not like this. What could he do?

"Hey." Came a voice from his door.

He looked up.

"Rocket."

"Thanos is dead." Rocket said sternly.

Steve sat up in his chair.

"What?"

"Yup, nothing more than brains on the floor now. Ghost saw to that."

"The stones?"

Rocket shook his head slowly. "Destroyed. 'Dust in the wind', apparently."

Steve clenched his teeth and slammed his fist onto his desk, leaving a dent in the polished surface.

"I don't know what to do." He said in a half-whisper.

"Well, I'm going to wallow in self-pity in my room with a bottle of what the people of Earth call 'rum'. You're welcome to come with me."

"I don't drink." Steve replied.

"You're loss." Rocket said. "Hey, sorry about your friend."

"And yours." Steve replied.

Rocket nodded and quietly left the room, leaving Steve in the darkness alone. He got up and moved his way to the bathroom. It was time to shave the beard off.

/

Kratos stood in the flaming village, the scene for all his dreams of late, but the village was quiet now. The homes are ash, and the trees are dead and cold. The villagers are nothing but charred bones on the ground. Kratos stood in the deathly silence, alone.

_Kratos…_

Kratos sighed. "What now?"

As he asked, a dim glow appeared before him. There stood Athena, ethereal and transparent, floating just above the layer of ash that caked the ground.

"Why do you show your face to me now, spirit?" Kratos asked.

_It is time we talked. _

"All you have done is talk." Kratos grunted.

_And it has done nothing to change things for the better…_

"Then leave."

_Thanos may have found victory, but there is still much to do._

"You sound like Eternity."

The spirit chuckled.

_I have spoken with Eternity. He has tasked me to be your guide in these dark times. As much as I would rather see you dead._

"A poor choice for a guide…"

_I would agree, but there are bigger things than petty hatreds to worry about now._

"Be quick with it then."

_Thanos may have won, but there is still much that can be done. The universe is in chaos now, and you have the power to fix many wrongs. _

"We have lost, Athena. There is nothing left to be done."

_You are wrong, Spartan. Many worlds live under the tyranny of false gods and cruel kings who take advantage of the power vacuum caused by Thanos. You have the ability to end their cruelty, just as you ended the cruelty of Zeus._

"What has brought about this change of heart?"

_Eternity has helped me see things now that I did not before. We must help this universe thrive again. You have the power to destroy many evils! You could be a hero in this universe if you would only trust me._

Kratos thought back to Abaddon's words. Ares. Athena. Gaia. Every creature that spurred him on, that fueled his passion, only to betray him in the end.

"I will never be a pawn again, Athena." Kratos said. "If Eternity wants to fix the universe, he can do it himself."

_What will you do with yourself, then, now that you have lost? Retire? Do finger paintings? Write poetry? Drink coffee in a small apartment? We both know you are lost without bloodshed. Together, we can forget our pasts. We can change this universe for the better._

Kratos turned his back to the spirit.

_Perhaps this will change your mind._

The spirit raised its arm, and with a wave of her hand, a vision of a planet appeared in the air before them.

_Alfheim is yet again under threat from invasion. With Asgard gone, there is no one to protect them. Go, see for yourself. I will be waiting here when you realize your true potential._

/

The Elves screamed and ran for cover as the Dark Elf Arks flew overhead, raining fire into the city below. Citizens cleared the streets as harrows shot over the city, slicing through buildings and ripping apart defenses. Battalions of Dark Elf troopers poured into the streets, shooting at anything that moved.

Alfheim soldiers tried to fight back, but the speed of the Dark Elves' attack proved too powerful to defend against for long. Wave after wave of masked faces poured from the dropships, seemingly endlessly.

"Defend the light!" Screamed Freyr as he led the Light Elf defenders. He dove for cover behind a fallen pillar and opened fire at the incoming Dark Elf squads.

"There's too many of them!" One elf screamed before getting shot in the head.

Freyr felt the splatter of blood hit his face. He watched as his soldiers died, one by one. He looked to the sky as an Ark positioned itself overhead. The giant red light on its bow grew brighter as the ship's weapons charged up.

Suddenly, a small, bright light flew from the clouds into the Ark's hull, and the ship began to erupt in flame. Freyr watched as the Ark exploded in a blinding flash of fire. The small light flew from the explosion towards the rest of the Dark Elf fleet. One by one, the ships exploded, until nothing remained of the Dark Elf Armada.

The Dark Elves on the ground looked to their crumbling fleet with confusion and terror. Then, the small light flew straight for the Dark Elf battalions, slamming into the ground in the middle of their formations. Hundreds of Dark Elves flew into the air as the shockwave ripped them apart.

Freyr squinted his eyes to see what the light was. All he could see were two purple flames flying in and out of the Dark Elves' bodies, slicing them apart, one by one. The Dark Elves scampered away from the bright light, blindly firing at it, but the light, whatever it was, kept fighting, until the Dark Elves were scattered entirely.

Freyr got out from cover and approached the light. As he came nearer, the figure grew more detailed. Pale skin, glowing eyes, blades of purple flame.

"Who are you?" Freyr asked.

The figure placed his foot on a crawling Dark Elf's head and crushed its skull instantly. Kratos looked up and saw the Vanir.

"Call me what you will." Kratos replied.

"Thank you. If it were not for you, the light would have fallen into the Dark Elves' hands."

"Your people are safe?" Kratos asked.

"I...yes, I believe now, they are."

Kratos said nothing. With a burst of air, he flew off, back into the clouds.

"Uh…" Freyr said, furrowing his brow. "Goodbye then, pale man."

"Who was that?" A nearby Light Elf asked.

"As far as I can tell, it was a ghost." Freyr replied.

/

_It felt good, didn't it? Helping those in need. And this could be just the start. Soon, the whole universe will chant your name. Savior, hero. Redemption is in your grasp. This is the best revenge against Thanos you could ever hope for. Faye would be proud. Loki would be proud to see his father, the Godslayer, saving entire worlds. _

"I do not trust you, Athena." Kratos said. "Prove me wrong. Where is the next world?"


	21. Athena

**21**

**Athena**

"What story would you like to hear tonight, child?"

"I'm not sure. Anything I haven't heard?"

"There is one I haven't told you. It's old, but my mother told me when I was your age. It's a story from the great text. It's about an evil king, and a good angel."

"That one, that one!"

"Alright, child. Lay down, make sure you're all snug under those covers."

"I'm snug."

"Alright. The tale of the evil king. Once there was an evil king. He was very mean to his subjects. Taxes were high, and life was hard for everyone. The king wore an evil crown and evil clothes. He ate evil food and drank evil drinks."

"What's an evil drink?"

"Shhh, just listen to the story."

"Yes, mother."

"One day, the evil king decided to go outside and be mean to his people. He went around, doing very mean things. But the people were happy."

"Why would they be happy? They have a mean king!"

"You'll see. Just listen."

"Sorry."

"The king noticed the people weren't sad. He asked them why they were smiling, even when he was being very mean. They said they knew something he did not."

"What was it?"

"The king asked what it was. The people replied just by saying. 'You better run. The storm is coming'. 'The storm?' the king asked. 'Why should I be worried about a little rain?' The people just laughed and laughed at the mean king."

"I'm confused."

"The king looked up. Suddenly, there was a great storm that came from the sky. Lightning shook the earth and rain pounded down on his evil crown. Then, in the eye of the storm, a great angel came down from the heavens, with great wings of light and swords of fire."

"Cool!"

"The angel came down, and without a word, he took the evil king away forever. The king's soldiers all ran away when they saw the angel, but the angel chased after them. He also took them away, never to be seen again. When the angel was done, the people asked him his name, but he never spoke. The people cheered as the angel returned to the heavens. The storm calmed down as he left, and the people were finally free."

"Is that us?"

"Yes, child. Those people were us, many years ago. Your great grandmother helped write the great text."

"Wow. Did he ever come back?"

"The angel? No, but when the angel left, a great and kind king took his place on the throne. He taught us about who sent the angel to save us, a goddess of great beauty and wisdom. With the good king's guidance, we learned the ways of hope. We wrote the great text, and learned to live in peace."

"Oh no…"

"What is it, child?"

"That story was so good, I'm too awake to go to bed!"

"You wish! Get back here, you little squirmer!"

"Can't catch me!"

"Got you!"

"Oh no!"

"Back to bed, young one."

"Aww, ten more minutes? Please?"

"You must rest, it is a long day tomorrow."

"Fine...Yes, mother..."

"Now, when you close your eyes, think about how grateful you are that the angel came, and freed us all from the evil king."

"Thank you, angel."

"And don't forget who sent him. Praise Athena, Goddess of Hope."

"Praise Athena! Goodnight mother."

"Goodnight, child."

/

Kratos stood, surrounded by death. Bones littered the ground, and the earth was scorched. The little vegetation that remained was brown and dry. The city in the distance was nothing more than ruins.

"It appears we are too late." Kratos said.

_He is still here. If we stop him here, we save thousands of worlds. Billions of souls._

"Lexie. Power signatures."

"One. It's big. Forty five kilometers bearing three, two, seven degrees. I've marked it on your HUD."

Kratos stretched out his wings and flew for the blip on his HUD's map.

_Careful, this one may try to manipulate you. Don't let him._

"He will fail."

_Don't be so sure. He has lived much longer than you have and has condemned many souls. Close your heart to his words._

"Don't lecture me on closing my heart, spirit."

Kratos approached the location of the blip. The landscape was nothing but shades of grey and black. Even the rivers seemed dead. He landed within eyesight of his target. A dark humanoid, not terribly large in stature, but his eyes were small yellow dots, and his face was a smooth slate of bone. His mouth was a gaping hole with razor-sharp teeth lining the entire circumference of it. His body was pitch black, and his legs were digitigrade, with hoofs that dug into the ash. Its hands were claws and not much else. Kratos approached the creature before him.

"I knew you would come. Abaddon's killer." The creature said, it's voice strangely soothing. "You did the rest of us a favor."

Kratos drew his blades. The creature chuckled.

"Please, Spartan. There is no need for weapons here."

The creature turned its head to meet Kratos' eyes.

"Tell me, warrior. Do you believe every good deed you have done will save you from the pit?"

"Enough."

Kratos charged the demon, his blades swung at it, but the demon's hand formed itself into a black blade, and blocked the attack.

"Do you really believe you can save your soul from what awaits you, deep in my father's domain?"

Kratos unleashed both blades into the demon, but its speed dodged and blocked every attack.

"We really don't know what to do with you, once you get there. Anger, Heresy, Violence, Lust, Oath Breaking. There's a circle in Hell for every sin you've committed." The demon continued as the two danced around each other on the scorched terrain.

Kratos grew increasingly frustrated with the creature. In a flash of light, Kratos unleashed a wave of cosmic power from his body. The demon staggered back. Kratos grabbed the demon by the neck and threw him into the air. The demon rocketed past the clouds.

The demon laughed as Kratos caught up with him and punched the demon's bony face with the Cestus. The demon fell back down to the surface of the planet with the impact of the blow. The demon hit the ground, creating a meteor-like explosion, shooting fire and shockwaves in all directions.

"You should be thankful your son was deleted from existence. We had special plans for h-"

The demon's speech was cut short as Kratos flew down from the sky and stomped the demon into the ground. The demon grabbed Kratos' feet and threw him aside. Kratos rolled across the ashy ground for hundreds of meters before coming to a stop. He rolled to his feet and crossed the blades over his chest just in time to stop the demon's fist from hitting him.

"I'm the son of Mephisto, fool! No weapon of gods and men can kill me!" The creature boasted, levitating itself off the ground.

Kratos pulled the blade of Olympus from his belt and charged it with Eternity's power. The blade shifted from blue to yellow as the power of a thousand stars entered the blade.

Kratos shot a beam of cosmic energy at the demon. The demon tried to dodge the beam, but the shot caught its arm, vaporizing it in the blast. The demon shrieked in pain, and in a flash of demonic energy, it formed a portal and jumped in. Kratos sprinted for the portal and jumped in after him just before it closed.

Kratos landed on the steaming ground. He looked at his surroundings. The screams of untold numbers of souls echoed in the darkness. All around him, mountains of bones and rivers of fire filled his vision.

Out of the corner of his eye, the demon reappeared but was now many stories tall. Kratos dodged as the creature's massive fist was brought down on him. He spun around and stabbed the Blades of Chaos into the giant's hand. The demon recoiled and pulled its hand upward, dragging Kratos with it. Kratos used the momentum to leap to the demon's face. He pulled out the Blade of Olympus and pierced the demon's eye. Black smoke bled from the gaping hole in its skull.

The demon screamed and grabbed Kratos with its massive hand. Kratos struggled to get free as the demon crushed him in its grip.

"Little warrior, your entertainment has lost its potency. I am Blackheart, son of the devil, and you are nothing but a half-breed mortal!"

Kratos managed to get its hands free and stabbed the Blades of Chaos into Blackheart's fingers. Blackheart roared and let go of the Spartan. Kratos dropped to the ground and pulled the Leviathan axe from his back and shot a beam of ice at Blackheart's face. The demon waved its hand and conjured a wave of black energy. The dark blast overpowered the beam of ice and hit Kratos head-on, breaking his ribs and knocking the Blade of Olympus from his belt. Kratos lunged for the blade, but the Blade zipped from the ground into Blackheart's hand.

"A pity this blade was given to you, it's potential is wasted on one such as you!"

"You are not the first to say that, demon." Kratos replied, fighting through the pain of his broken ribs.

Kratos flew straight for Blackheart's other eye. Blackheart shot another blast of black energy at the Spartan, but the Spartan dodged the attack. Kratos landed on the demon's face and threw his fist into the yellow eye. More black smoke erupted from the wound. Blackheart screamed again and slapped his face with his hand. Kratos flew upward, dodging the incoming attack. Blackheart slapped his own face, knocking himself backward with the sheer force of his own demonic strength. Kratos jumped for the hand that held the Blade of Olympus and ripped the sword free from the blind demon's grasp.

Kratos aimed the black for the demon's heart. The blade hit the demon squarely in the middle of its chest, and black smoke sprang from the wound.

Blackheart shrieked and writhed as Kratos sawed into its body, the blade's cosmic energy invading more and more into the demon's heart. Blackheart's body began to shrink as its power faded, until he was once again human-sized.

Kratos ripped the blade from the demon's chest and aimed for its neck.

"Wait!" Blackheart said. "I can bring your son back!"

Kratos hesitated. "Impossible."

Blackheart's gaping mouth formed into a toothy smile. "Perhaps. Sad that you'll never know."

With a flick of its wrist, Kratos was absorbed by a portal, and he found himself back on the scorched planet. Kratos sighed and sheathed his weapons.

_Damn. We were so close. _

"Athena. _Can_ the demons return my son?"

_Kratos...Loki has been erased from existence. Not even the power of Hell can bring back that which doesn't exist in the first place. I told you not to listen to him! Now he is lost until the next time he reaps a planet!_

Kratos sighed, then grimaced as his ribs healed themselves.

_That will not be the last demon we will face. Come. The Kree resume their genocide of Torfa. We must show them the meaning of regret._

"We have done this for four years, spirit." Kratos stated. "And not one step closer to the end."

_The universe is a big place, Spartan. Many evils threaten the good people that live in it._

"The good people you care about, after thousands of years of dormancy..."

_I told you, Eternity spoke to me and showed me the truth._

"And yet he does not speak to me."

_Kratos…trust me. Hope is a powerful tool. Together, we have brought that very thing to many worlds. The universe needs us. _

Kratos huffed. "Then we must go to Torfa. Lexie."

"Boss?"

"Chart a course for Torfa."

"Charting a course to another shithole. Yes, sir."

/

Dozens of Torfans screamed and ran in all directions as Kree warriors rained plasma fire into the defenseless civilians, kicking in doors and pulling females and children into the street.

"Make sure you get every single one, we can't afford even one Skrull to get past us!" The Kree captain yelled.

"Sir!" A Kree warrior yelled, pointing to the sky.

The Kree all looked up. In the cloud break, they saw explosions in the sky above.

"Is that our fleet?" The captain asked.

"It can't be, there's nothing able to destroy an entire battle formation like that. Right?" Another warrior replied.

Suddenly, a beam of cosmic energy vaporized the Kree squad. Kratos dropped from the sky and landed gracefully to the ground.

"It's the Ghost! Open fire!" Came a voice in the distance.

Kratos felt a plasma round hit his armor and bounce off, ricochetting into the rocks in the distance. Kratos turned his head and scowled at the Kree troopers in the distance. Kratos strolled towards the soldiers, plasma fire pointlessly bouncing off of his armor.

"He's unkillable!" One voice screamed.

"Keep firing!" Another desperate voice screamed.

"Emperor protect us!" Another voice whimpered

Within seconds, the Kree strike team was dead. Kratos sheathed his blades.

"Several Torfan life signs behind that rock." Lexie stated.

"Your people are safe." Kratos called out.

Suddenly, a beam of cosmic energy hit his back. Kratos staggered forward and spun around to face his attacker. It was a woman in Starforce armor, but the color was blue and red instead of its usual green. Her face was covered in a mohawk of hair attached to its top.

"Well, well. Here I am, about to save some Torfans, when what do I find? The Ghost, himself." The female declared. "I thought you'd be taller. And less old."

Kratos sighed and pulled the Blades from his back.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" She asked. "That's fine."

"Back off. Now." Kratos warned.

"I don't think so." The female replied. "You think you can lead a bloody crusade across the cosmos and get away with it? I'm taking you in."

"You may try."

"Fine by me."

Captain Marvel reached out both arms, shooting another beam of energy at the Spartan. Kratos folded his wings around him and absorbed the attack. Once the dust had cleared, Kratos was still standing, a scowl on his face.

"What are you?" Marvel asked, surprised at the ineffectiveness of her attack.

"I am death." Kratos said, swinging his blades furiously at the woman.

Captain Marvel dodged to the side as the blade narrowly missed her shoulder. She grabbed the blade and gave it a pull. Kratos was dragged a coupled feet before he dug his feet into the ground and pulled back. Marvel's eyes went wide as she lunged forward and fell to the ground. Kratos brought the leviathan axe down on her, but she rolled out of the way and rose off the ground into the air.

Kratos blocked another beam of energy with the Leviathan axe, then threw the axe with both hands. Marvel dodged the throw with ease.

"Too easy." She said with a sneer.

Kratos held out his hand. Marvel cocked her head to one side with confusion, until she heard the whooshing noise of the axe behind her. She turned around just in time for the axe to hit her in the leg. The blade grazed past her hip, and she let out a cry of pain. Kratos grabbed the axe with one hand and threw it again. Marvel blasted the axe away with a beam of energy and flew straight for the Spartan. Kratos took flight and flew straight for her.

The two tackled each other and rose far into the atmosphere. Marvel landed some good hits on Kratos' face, and Kratos landed some good hits on her. Blows were exchanged until the two had left the planet's atmosphere. Kratos pulled a Blade of Chaos out and stabbed for her head. Marvel concentrated energy into her hand and blocked the blade. Kratos freed his other hand and grabbed her helmet, pushing her head closer to the blade.

Marvel desperately pushed against the blade with both hands. Kratos stopped pushing against her head, deciding to pull instead, throwing Marvel into the debris of a Kree warship in the distance. The debris exploded into tiny pieces as the woman slammed into the hulking metal. Marvel took the opportunity to catch her breath, not realizing that Kratos was immediately on top of her. She watched as the Cestus rammed into her face, shooting her back towards the planet.

She regained consciousness just in time to stop herself from hitting the surface of Torfa. With a blast of cosmic energy, she was upright and hovering over the ground. She looked up and braced against Kratos, who was following right behind her. The Cestus hit her energy-fueled hands, pushing her down towards the ground. Marvel grabbed Kratos by the arm and threw him into the ground. Kratos felt a foot ram into his chest as he lay there. He grabbed a rock and smashed it into Marvel's kneecap. Marvel groaned in pain and punched Kratos in the face.

Kratos pulled Marvel to the ground and got on top of her. He punched her in the neck, forcing Marvel to cough and gasp for air. Kratos pulled the Cestus out and wailed on her face until it was bloody and bruised. Having subdued her, he pulled out his blades and reared his arm back, aiming for her chest.

"Another world for your god, then..." Marvel croaked.

Kratos hesitated.

_Don't listen to her. Blackheart defeated you with talk. Don't let her do it too._

"What did you say?" Kratos asked.

"For your precious Athena." Marvel replied. "Killing a path through the universe for your cult to take over."

Kratos lowered his blade.

"How do you know about Athena?"

"How do I know? Every planet you visited knows about her." Marvel said, a look of confusion showing through her battered face.

Kratos rose himself off of the woman. "Explain."

"Don't play dumb." She said, sitting up and wiping the blood from her swollen mouth. "It's no coincidence you come in, remove entire governments, and all of a sudden the planet's population is praising the same goddess."

"I was saving them from tyrants and false gods…" Kratos argued.

"Yeah, well, now they all worship the same false god. Congrats."

Kratos looked at his blades. The reflection of Athena's spirit could be seen behind him. He turned to face her.

"You said we were destroying evil…" Kratos said, his breathing growing heavy.

_And we were. Every person you've killed was evil. There was no lie in my words._

"Who are you talking to?" Marvel asked, dragging herself from the ground.

"You had me kill for your own gain." Kratos said between clenched teeth. "Eternity never spoke with you at all..."

"Eternity?" Marvel asked.

Athena lowered her head.

_No. He never did. I had to get you to trust me, and together, we've brought unity to the cosmos. Before, there was tyranny. Now, there is unity. There is Hope._

"You used me… again." Kratos said, his hands shaking with rage. "To create worshippers for _you._"

_We worked together to create a universe of peace. _

Marvel stared in confusion as Kratos spoke to the air.

"You used me for your own selfish ends!" Kratos roared.

_Kratos, you must understand. Without me, the people of the universe were leaderless. I sent my emissaries to them, and they chose to worship me. They chose, Kratos._

"_You_ are the true tyrant, taking advantage of the power vacuum!" Kratos roared back.

"Do you need me to leave you and your imaginary friend alone?" Marvel asked.

_Yes, I took advantage of the power vacuum. But now, you have created enough worshippers for me to return to the world._

Kratos covered his eyes as a brilliant flash of light overtook his senses. The light dimmed, and Kratos uncovered his eyes. Before him stood Athena in the flesh, adorned in ancient greek armor, just as she was before Kratos killed her.

"Now you see, Spartan. Now I can spread hope to the universe myself. I don't need you or the power of the box to do so."

"Who are you?" Marvel asked.

Athena turned to the woman and smiled kindly.

"My child, I am Athena. I suggest you kneel before the only god in the universe that truly cares for you."

"Athena?" Kratos asked, shocked that she stood, in physical form once again.

"Kratos...I must thank you for everything you have done for me." Athena said with a smile.

But her smile quickly turned into a scowl of contempt.

"But I can never forgive you for disobeying me, all those years ago. How could I? Now, I have no further use for you."

Athena held out her hands, and a spear and shield materialized from the air.

"Is this bad?" Marvel asked.

"The box corrupted you, Athena, just as it had with the others. Only greed lives within you." Kratos said, pulling the blades from his back. "You've used me for the last time."

"Sorry...box?" Marvel asked, growing frustrated that no one was listening to her. "Hello?!"

"Kratos, fighting me is foolish. There are not millions, but trillions of people, all praising my name for saving them." Athena said. "I am more powerful than you ever could hope to be. Soon, the entire universe will love me, and I will cleanse this universe of all its evils, starting with you."

"And I thought _I _was a talker." Marvel said, shooting a beam of energy at the goddess. Athena blocked the attack effortlessly with her shield.

"Child, do not be a fool." Athena said, eyeing Captain Marvel. "I am the goddess of war and wisdom. You are a mere girl with an attitude problem."

"I like to call it confidence." Marvel replied. "Okay, big grey, we deal with her, then I deal with you."

"Very well." Kratos replied.

Athena raised her spear into the air. Behind her, a tidal wave of rocks formed, hundreds of meters high. She pointed her spear at the two before her, and the wave of rocks plowed towards them. Kratos and Marvel leapt into the air to escape the thousands of tons of raw materials careening towards them.

Kratos flew over the wave and dove for Athena, armed with the Cestus in both hands. Athena raised the spear into the air, shooting a boulder straight for Kratos. Kratos punched through the rocks and aimed a blow for Athena's face. The Cestus hit her shield, sending a massive soundwave through the air. Marvel was mid-charge when the soundwave hit her. The wave hit her eardrums, and blood spurt from her ears, slowing her charge.

There was a blast of air and both Marvel and Kratos were thrown back.

"FOOLS!" Athena said, levitating over the ground, her eyes glowing white and her spear glowing blue. "I CAN GIVE YOU POWERS, I CAN REMOVE YOUR POWER JUST AS EASILY!"

A storm began to rage overhead, and mist came creeping in from the hills that surrounded them. Kratos charged the goddess, then suddenly felt his wings flicker in and out of existence. He fell to the ground as the cosmic power began to leave his body. He scowled, brushed the dirt from his armor and continued his charge on foot.

Marvel threw both beams of energy at the goddess. Athena turned her head and flicked her spear at the incoming warrior. A bolt of lightning struck Marvel, throwing her to the ground.

"Ouch…" Marvel groaned as her armor smoldered from the strike.

Another bolt of lightning hit her while she tried to get up. Then another.

Kratos threw the Leviathan axe at Athena, which she blocked with her shield, her eyes still fixed on Marvel. The axe flew far into the distance, into the mist that surrounded them. She turned her head and waved her spear in an arc over her head. A sea of magma sprang from the ground over Athena's head and came down on Kratos. He tried to dodge, but the volume of magma was too wide to escape. He felt the heat burn away at his skin as the ocean of molten rock poured over him until only his neck and head were visible. With a flick of her spear, a gust of freezing air struck the magma, instantly solidifying it. Kratos tried to break free of the magma, but Athena pointed her spear at him, her telekinetic powers holding him in place.

"'Fuck Athena'..." Athena chuckled. "I remember that. If only you had just listened to me, all those years ago. We could have created something wonderful together. But you just had to have one more slight against the gods...against me. I have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. I cannot say I will not enjoy this."

Just as Athena pulled the spear back to plunge it into Kratos' head, she noticed Kratos' eyes were focused on something behind her. She turned around just in time for the Leviathan axe to cleave into her face. The axe stuck into her face, forcing her head to snap backward. Athena tried to scream in rage, but her breath was taken away when she felt an all-too-familiar weapon drive its way into her back, through her organs, and out the other side. She looked down with the eye that didn't have an axe through it, at the massive blue blade sticking through her chest.

"Every god has fallen before me. It was you who was the fool for believing you were any different." Kratos said. Pulling the blade from Athena's back.

"Kratos…" Athena gasped as she tried to keep her organs from falling out. "Don't do this. Not again…"

"It was you that repeated your mistake. The gods have abused their power for the last time."

Kratos punched his way free of the magma and stood over Athena, the axe still embedded in her face.

"I hate you…" Athena gasped. "You destroyed everything I worked for."

"No…" Kratos said. "There is one thing I have not yet destroyed."

Kratos held out his hand. Athena felt the pull of the axe as Kratos stood behind her. The axe began to dig harder and harder into her skull. Finally, the skull gave way and the axe cleaved her head in two. Kratos caught the axe as Athena' skull flopped in half and her fell limply to the ground.

Kratos looked away as her body once again erupted in a blast of green energy. The clouds parted as a beam of green energy blasted into the atmosphere. A shockwave of green blasted in all directions, and Kratos struggled to keep his balance, being so close to the death of a god.

The green energy subsided. Captain Marvel approached Kratos with a look of confusion on her face.

"Okay, big grey…" Marvel asked. "Wanna fill me in?"


	22. Fate

**22**

**Fate**

"Ok, let me summarize make sure I have all this figured out...the Greek pantheon of Earth is real, but they were all corrupted by some magic curse box, so you killed most of them because they tried to kill you three times."

"They _did _kill me three times."

"So what, you just...decided to come back to life?"

"Yes."

"What, just crawled your way out of the afterlife?

"Yes."

"Huh…and how many times has Athena died so far?"

"Twice."

"Do Olympians usually take a couple tries to kill?"

"Some do."

"So she may come back."

"She may."

Marvel shot a small burst of cosmic energy into the dying campfire they were sitting at. The fire sprang back to life.

"I was betrayed once, too." Marvel stated. "By my own people. I kicked their ass, and now here I am, saving the galaxy, but...It's getting harder. When the great disappearance happened, everything went to shit. I can barely keep up. Demons are being seen in larger and larger numbers, and all the warring species the Asgardians were keeping at bay are getting braver. I'm not sure how much I'm helping. Just glad you're on our side."

"I am on nobody's side." Kratos grumbled, staring into the flame.

"Okay, tough guy. Whatever you say." Marvel said, raising an eyebrow and looking up toward the sky. "Soup's ready if you want some."

Kratos looked at the pot hanging over the fire. "I will be fine."

Marvel shrugged and poured herself a bowl.

"Did you lose anybody?" She asked, taking a sip.

"What?"

"During the great disappearance."

"No." Kratos said, looking away.

"It's healthy to talk about stuff, you know." Marvel said, taking a sip from her soup. "For me, there was one planet. The people were the most welcoming species I've ever met. After I saved them from a Badoon raid, they brought me to the school to meet the kids. I've never seen so many smiling faces. I visited from time to time. It was crazy watching them grow up, since their species mature so quickly. One year, they were little twerps, the next they had beards! They thought I was some sort of immortal. Then, the Great Disappearance hit. Next time I came back, the school was a pile of rubble. I guess there weren't enough men left in the village to defend them, so the pirates came back and killed them all. I guess Thanos didn't take that into account when he did it."

Kratos looked into the eyes of the woman across from him. "Thanos is dead."

"I know." Marvel replied. "Steve told me."

"Rogers?"

"Me and the Avengers Initiative go way back. It's a long story. In any case, once I heard the stones were gone, I just kept...doing what I do, hoping it makes a difference, but I'm alone out here, and the Universe is kinda big."

"You know your task will never end." Kratos said quietly. "You will grow old, and you will still be fighting."

"I guess you would know, but what else am I gonna do? Whether I like it or not, it seems like it's my fate to save the universe until my body gives out."

Kratos paused for a moment. "What did you say?"

"I said 'what else am I gonna do'?"

"No, after that." Kratos said sternly, standing up. "_What did you say_?"

"I said it's my fate to save the universe forever."

"Fate…" Kratos mumbled. "Why did I not think of it years ago…"

"What? What did I say?" Marvel said, shrugging with confusion and taking another sip of soup.

"The Temple of the Fates. Perhaps the mirrors..." Kratos said, pacing quickly back and forth. "I must get to Earth."

"Earth is a long way from here." Marvel said, also standing up. "You feel anything yet?"

Kratos closed his eyes and tried to bring forth Eternity's power from deep within himself, but whatever Athena did to him, it seemed permanent. No wings, no purple flame.

"Nothing." Kratos said through gritted teeth.

"Then, if you want to get to Earth, I'll have to carry you." Marvel said with a weak grin.

"No. There is another way."

"What?" Marvel asked.

"You have to kill me." Kratos replied.

/

"You know, you weigh way more than you look." Captain Marvel said as the two hurdled towards the black hole in the distance. "How do you know this'll work?"

"I do not." Kratos said curtly over the radio.

The static over the comms grew more intense as they approached the massive darkness at the center of the galaxy. Sagittarius A, as Lexie called it. The site of a supermassive black hole. If this did not kill him, he didn't know anything that could.

"Here we go," Marvel said. "The second I let you go, you're gone. I won't be able to get you back."

"I am aware." Kratos said. He looked at the growing black circle in the distance. The light from stars behind it bent around its infinite gravity, creating a ring of distortion around its circumference. The very space around them seemed to quake as they came nearer. The stars orbiting the hole danced at relativistic speeds, creating an obstacle course of plasma.

"Okay, this is as far as I'm taking you!" Marvel said over the static. "Any closer, we start losing hundreds of years for every second we stay here. Good luck dodging those stars."

"I do not need luck. I will die either way." Kratos replied.

"Well, at least this murder is consensual. Alright Big Grey, if this doesn't work, nice knowing you."

With that, Marvel got herself spinning, gaining velocity as she held Kratos around in her arms. With a grunt, she chucked him into the darkness in the distance.

Kratos felt the black hole's pull on his body as the blackness grew larger and larger, overtaking half of his vision. Stars zoomed past him at such relative speed, they seemed more like flat beams of energy rather than stars.

This low-pitched pulsing rang in his radio as the Black Hole loomed over him.

"I know you meant to do this, but...warning. Extreme gravitational field approaching. Recommend immediate-" Lexie said before her electronics shut down from the EMP waves emanating from the black hole's accretion disk.

Kratos felt the gravity begin to pull exponentially more on the parts of his body closest to the hole. He felt his body begin to rip apart at the molecular level, bit by bit.

The black hole's circumference folded around him until the universe was nothing more than a dot behind him, which also eventually disappeared. Kratos was surrounded by unbroken blackness and dead, infinite silence. The only thing accompanying him was the agony of his body barely fighting against the sheer gravitational might of the Solar-System sized black hole. He felt his body slowly give up. His bones broke, his skin dissolved and his eyes split apart.

Then, there was nothing. Not pain, no gravity, nothing.

"YOU WANTED TO TALK TO ME."

Kratos realized his eyes were returned to him, and he opened them. Before him was Eternity, its body made from the very stuff of the cosmos. Stars and planets danced around his infinite form, and entire galaxies reshaped themselves to join with his body.

"You...you abandoned us to failure." Kratos grunted. "Why did you not stop him?"

"MY DEAR LITTLE SPARTAN, I COULD HAVE REWRITTEN THE VERY UNIVERSE TO SUIT MY NEEDS BETTER, BUT THAT IS NOT THE WAY OF THINGS. YOU ARE ALL VICTIMS OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL, AND I CAN BUT GUIDE YOU ON YOUR PATH."

"Free will?! My son is dead!" Kratos roared.

"DO NOT MISPLACE YOUR ANGER." Eternity said, frowning at the infinitely small creature before him. "DO NOT FORGET, IT WAS YOU THAT FAILED TO KILL THANOS, NOT I."

Kratos lowered his head. "I have done all you ask. Thanos is dead. My service to you is done."

"SERVICE?" Eternity asked. "I NEVER ASKED YOUR SERVICE. I MERELY TOLD YOU OF THE STAKES INVOLVED. YOU TOOK UP THIS TASK YOURSELF."

Eternity chuckled to himself.

"IT IS NOT OFTEN ONE FINDS HIMSELF TRAPPED IN A BLACK HOLE. I SUPPOSE YOU WOULD RATHER I SAVE YOU."

"Death, it seems, was the only way to speak with you." Kratos stated. "Had you answered my call, I would not be there."

"I AM NOT AT YOUR BECK AND CALL, LITTLE GOD." Eternity said with a frown.

A massive sigh erupted from the being, and it was as if space itself bent from his breath.

"VERY WELL. WHEN YOU AWAKE, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF WITH YOUR POWERS RETURNED, BUT ONLY UNTIL YOU REACH EARTH."

"You would leave me with nothing?!" Kratos asked.

"AS YOU SAID, YOUR SERVICE TO ME IS DONE. THANOS IS DEAD. WHAT MORE REASON THEN DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP MY POWER?"

Kratos sighed. "I have a plan."

Eternity raised an eyebrow. "OH?"

Kratos looked up at the face of the being.

"The temple of the fates. If it still exists, I can use the threads of fate to find the stones before they were destroyed. I will bring Loki back, and Thanos' work will be undone."

"SHOULD YOU SUCCEED IN FINDING THIS TEMPLE, THERE IS ONE THING THAT MAY HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY. THE BLADE OF OLYMPUS…"

"What of it?" Kratos asked.

"WHEN YOU OPENED THE BOX, ZEUS' CORRUPTION BECAME SUCH THAT BEFORE YOU THE BLADE IT FROM HIM, HE FORCED HEPHAESTUS TO MAKE IT COMPATIBLE WITH THE INFINITY STONES. SUCH WAS HIS FEAR OF YOU."

"What?" Kratos said, looking at the handle on his belt.

"GOOD LUCK, SPARTAN."

With that, Kratos awoke in the blackness. He felt the cosmic power of Eternity pulsating through his veins. He felt his wings on his back, and with a burst of energy, he felt himself overcoming the crushing death of the black hole's pull. The universe opened up before him through the black, as a small dot at first, then as a circle. The light of the universe folded back around him, overtaking the empty dark of the black hole behind him. Light filled his eyes once again.

"- immediate withdrawal." Lexie's voice came back on as they left the EMP's influence.

Kratos approached Captain Marvel as she sat there, floating well past the influence of the black hole's gravity.

"It worked." Kratos said calmly.

"You just escaped the pull of the largest source of gravity in the galaxy, and it took you fifteen minutes." Marvel stated. "Who _are_ you?!"

"I have connections." Kratos replied.

/

"What's your plan then, Big Grey?" Marvel asked as the two soared through the cosmos towards Earth.

"I will go back in time and retrieve the stones. I will reshape destiny."

"You?" Marvel asked. "Okay, first of all, time travel isn't real."

Kratos ignored her criticisms. He knew the truth. Whether she knew was irrelevant.

"Let's say you do go back in time, couldn't you undo everything that ever happened? Couldn't you butterfly effect the universe into oblivion if you make one mistake?"

"That has never stopped me."

"You could do anything. Literally anything. You could kill anybody before they're even born."

"I could."

The two moved silently through space. Marvel gave Kratos a long look.

"What is it?" Kratos asked.

"How can I be sure you won't abuse the stone's power if you actually find them?"

"You don't." Kratos said.

/

Kratos and Marvel landed in the middle of the quiet streets of Rhodes. The few civilians that saw them land all gasped and scattered as the two touched down. Car horns honked, but the two paid no attention.

"If you find the stones," Marvel started, "Do the right thing."

"I will do what must be done. Whether that is the right thing is none of your concern."

Marvel gave Kratos a suspicious look, then flew off into the sky. A car honked at Kratos.

"Out of the way!" Came a voice in Greek from his car.

Kratos gave the man a scowl, then walked up to the man's door. He ripped it off its hinges and tore out the man's steering wheel with one quick jerk.

"Two thousand years ago, I destroyed this city..." Kratos said with a scowl.

The man stared blankly, his mouth gaping open as Kratos threw the steering wheel kilometers into the sea, then walked off into the streets of Rhodes.

/

Kratos walked up to the giant flat stone platform that overlooked the bay of Rhodes. He read the faded plaque that accompanied the stonework.

_The Battle of Rhodes. _

_According to myth, this platform was where Zeus fought the God of Violence and Strength, Kratos, over the fate of the city. The writings of this battle are the last that record the existence of the Colossus of Rhodes. The myth states that Kratos led an invading Spartan army against the city. Zeus gave the Colossus life to fight the invaders, but the god Kratos defeated it. Zeus, in his anger, smote the god down, then removed the invading Spartan army from the city. This place has remained undisturbed as a sacred site. _

Kratos took his eye from the plaque. He could see the exact spot where Zeus stabbed him through the chest with the Blade of Olympus. The cracks in the stone where the Colossus' hand crashed down on him. From here, he could vaguely remember the direction to the Island of Creation. Or, at least, the halfway mark.

He could still feel some of Eternity's cosmic power inside him. Whatever Kratos said to the being, it was apparently convincing enough for him to keep some of that power. The energy wings sprouted from his back, and he took flight in the direction of the Island.

/

Natasha took a bite of her PB&J sandwich as the holograms of Rocket and Carol bantered back and forth.

"Yeah, we boarded that 'highly suspect' warship Danvers Pinged." Rocket stated.

"It was an infectious garbage scowl…" Nebula's hologram added with disgust.

"So, thanks for the hot tip." Rocket said, smirking at Captain Marvel's Hologram.

"Well, you were closer." Carol stated coldly.

"Yeah, and now we smell like garbage." Rocket replied.

"You get a reading on those tremors?" Natasha interrupted, now speaking to the hologram of Okoye.

"It was a mild subduction under the African plate." Okoye explained calmly.

"Do we have a visual?" Natasha asked. "How are we handling it?"

"Nat," Okoye replied. "It's an earthquake under the ocean. We handle it by not handling it."

Natasha sighed and turned to Carol. "What about Ghost? You said you saw him out there."

"I saw him, alright." Carol said. "Apparently, he was The Angel we were looking for."

"Well, cutting a swathe across the universe sounds like him." Nat replied with a sigh.

"Natasha…" Carol said. "I think he's going after the stones."

"That's impossible. I was there, the stones were gone." Rocket confirmed.

"He's going to try to time travel…" Carol said quietly. "Apparently, he's done it before."

"That's simply impossible." Okoye stated. "Not even Wakanda has that technology."

Natasha thought for a moment. "He's a god, maybe he can do it somehow."

"This could be very bad." Rocket said.

"I agree." Carol stated. "For once, the raccoon might be right. He's not someone I want to see with the stones."

"You should have seen what he did to Thanos. He didn't just kill him, he crushed his head in. He blew up a dozen cops, and left them to burn..." Rocket added, trying not to look disgusted.

"That was five years ago. Maybe things have changed." Nat said optimistically.

"The last thing he said to me was 'I will do what must be done. Whether that is the right thing is none of your concern." Carol mentioned.

"I see…" Nat said quietly. "Then we need to find a way to stop him. If he's unstable, he's the last person we need with the stones."

"We're not gods, Nat." Carol mentioned. "We can't just travel back in time when we feel like it."

"No, but we have smart people on our team. If he's still wearing Stark tech, then we can track him. We'll stop him, even if it has to get dirty." Nat stated solemnly.

The room was silent for a moment.

"Alright. Uh, well…" Nat continued. "This channel is always active. So, if anything goes sideways... anyone's making trouble where they shouldn't, it comes through me."

The group all agreed, and the blue glow of the holograms shut down, one by one. Except for Rhodey. It took a moment for Nat to realize he was still there, standing, waiting for her to notice his hologram.

"Where are you?" Nat asked.

"Mexico. The Federales found a room full of bodies. Looks like a bunch of cartel guys. Never even had the chance to get their guns off." War Machine said.

"Probably a rival gang." Nat replied, looking down at her sandwich.

"Except it isn't…" Rhodey said.

Nat looked up, hoping his next words weren't…

It's definitely Barton." War Machine continued. "What he's done here, what he's been doing for the last few years... I mean, the scene that he left…"

Nat felt a lump in her throat begin to form.

"I gotta tell you, there's a part of me that doesn't even want to find him." Rhodey added.

"Will you find out where he's going next?" Nat asked, taking another bite from her sandwich.

"Nat…" Rhodey said quietly.

"Please?" Nat asked, a tear forming in her eye.

"Okay…" Rhodey said reluctantly before signing off. The room went dark, and Nat put her head in her hands. Kratos, Barton, so many of the team going dark side. The Avengers was sying, and nothing could be done to stop it.

/

Kratos looked down at the ocean as he flew overhead. The oceans were as empty as the Ancient times. Very few boats below, nor planes overhead passed by. It appeared Earth had not adjusted well to the snap, even after half a decade to recover.

"We're approaching Mount Etna now." Lexie mentioned. "Get your camera's out."

The silhouette of the mountain grew in the distance; the first landmark on the way to the temple. Kratos squinted his eyes, but he could see no opening to Typhon's old lair. If the Titan was still there, he must have been buried over thousands of years of the mountain's slow shifting. He landed on the side of the mountain and held his ear to the solid rock.

Nothing, for a brief moment. Then, a faint voice shook the mountainside deep from within the rocks, so faintly that mortals would mistake it only as volcanic tremors.

"I would know that smell anywhere, Kratos! You return to finish the job?! Good! I tire of my imprisonment!"

Kratos removed his ear from the mountain, not saying a word.

"No! Wait! Come back and kill me, you fucking bastard! Please!"

Kratos stood up and abandoned Typhon to his pleas. Now, all that stood between him and the Island of Creation is his own memory. Kratos looked around him and recognized nothing.

"Where to now, boss?" Lexie asked.

"I...do not know." Kratos said. "Last time, Gaia guided me to the island. I was also fighting Griffons on a flying horse…and it was night."

"Are there any others who might know where it is?"

"None that I am aware of."

"Then, maybe we just wait until night, then we try again?"

"Very well."

Suddenly, as if the universe itself heard their discussion, the sun's dance across the sky accelerated unnaturally fast. Within seconds, the sun was below the horizon, and the world was shrouded in night.

Kratos raised an eyebrow.

"I'm reading a sudden shift in the Earth's orbit. By all accounts, the acceleration should have flown us off the surface of the planet, but I'm reading no inertial shift. I'm assuming this is an Olympian thing?" Lexie asked.

"There is only one creature I know of who can bring the night so easily, and he is not Olympian..." Kratos mumbled.

"Who?" Lexie asked.

"I must rest." Kratos replied.

"Now?"

"Now."

/

Kratos found himself in the burnt village. The air was calm and cool, and the ashes from the burnt village had long since lost their fiery vigor.

"The world goes dark, and the first thing you decide to do is visit me? That's either flattery or foolishness." Came a whisper from the darkness beyond the dream's borders.

"What do you want, Morpheus?" Kratos asked, looking to the sky.

From the darkness beyond the village, a black smoke slithered towards him. The tendrils of smoke crawled through the air and amalgamated in front of Kratos, until the smoke had formed into the shape of a man, tall and slender. Wisps of smoke danced on top of the form's head like a wild mane of hair, and the only solid thing on this creature's body was its eyes, which glowed through the darkness like little white stars.

"I want you to succeed." The being said, though no mouth could be seen on the black figure's face. Its voice existed in a place of androgyny between male and female, without any clear evidence for either.

"The last time we met, you sent your beasts against me." Kratos mentioned.

"And now you understand why. You were helping Olympus, despite their corruption. They were lost to evil, but now they are gone, thanks to you."

Morpheus walked around Kratos, sweeping its hand over his shoulders. Kratos' eyes followed the creature as it orbited him.

"And I do mean, thanks to you." The being continued. "Now, the universe is free to dream as they like, free from the Olympian's...oversight."

"Why aid me now?" Kratos asked, trying to ignore the creature's touch as its hand brushed past his neck.

"A guy gets used to the nicer things in life." The creature said. "All those souls pouring more and more power into my domain. So many dreams...so much imagination. But now…"

The creature came full circle and turned to face Kratos. "But now, only half the souls, half the dreams, half of all that power comes to me."

Morpheus placed both hands on Kratos' arms. "Call me spoiled, but I don't like living on a budget. I've tasted the good stuff, and I want that taste back."

Morpheus' eyes scanned the Spartan up and down.

"You know…" The creature continued. "Legend tells of the greatest lover in all the lands, so much so that Aphrodite herself invited him to her bed. Perhaps there are other ways to thank you, now that I have seen you up close…"

"I do not have time for this!" Kratos said, turning away from the being. "Show me the path to the Temple or leave."

"Do not pretend it hasn't been such a long time for you, Spartan." Morpheus said, placing both hands of Kratos' chest. "All those years alone in that suit of armor, fighting evil. It can be very lonely. I can be anything you like, man, woman, something in between. I could be the best dream you ever had. I know what you Spartans liked to do with each other before a battle-"

"Enough!" Kratos grunted, ripping Morpheus' arms away from him. "You waste time."

The demeanor of the being shifted.

"You would deny the Lord of Dreams? The only reason you sleep as well as you do is because I allow it! I can make your dreams so much worse, Spartan!"

"Allow me to complete my task, Dream God." Kratos grumbled. "Your desires are not my concern."

"Fine." It said with a hurt harshness. "You want to find the Temple? Follow the light."

The dreamscape around Kratos faded away, along with Morpheus' smoky form.

"Bring back those souls, Kratos. To have the Lord of Dreams against you is a dangerous thing indeed..."

Kratos awoke on the mountainside. He sat up and rolled his neck to either side.

"Good news?" Lexie asked.

"Nothing about this is good." Kratos grumbled.

He stood up and scanned the horizon for any strange sources of light. Thankfully, Morpheus was courteous enough to make it obvious.

"The sun does not rise in the North." Kratos stated.

"It sure doesn't." Lexie said. "And yet, there it is."

"That is our path." Kratos said.

/

Kratos landed on the temple's balcony. The phoenix statue towered over him in the distance, and the flora kilometers below him were hidden by layers of thick fog. The sky around him was clouded, but the strange glow of the winds of creation still shone through the darkness, creating a strange dance of light and dark.

This place brought him so many memories. He looked down, at the bloodstained spot where the Spartan died in his arms. The pillars where the Kraken held itself up as it fought with him. The Great brazier that the Phoenix rested before he took it into the temple.

The massive pillars and statues that decorated the walls of the titanic temple still stood, but thousands of years of decay had taken their toll. Even the phoenix statue in the distance had lost a wing to the slow clutch of time.

He breathed in the air. It was a relief for once, to see no enemies, no banshees, no minotaurs, no undead blocking his path.

"Hey, big guy…"

Kratos knew that voice.

"How did you find this place?" He asked, turning around.

"That helmet, it's Stark Tech." Natasha said, tapping her temple. "Finding you was easy. Finding an interdimensional island was way tougher, but the Bifrost came in handy."

"Brother…" Another voice said.

Thor appeared from behind a pillar. It was him, but his hair was long and knotted, and his body had lost its much of its muscle mass.

"How many more did you bring?" Kratos asked, scowling at Nat.

"This isn't a fight, Ghost." Steve said calmly, also emerging from behind another pillar. "We just want to talk."

"The time for talk is over." Kratos responded, pulling his blades from his back. "Do not interfere."

"I get it, your angry. We all are." Nat said, reaching her hand toward Kratos. "But we need to find the stones together. You can't do this alone."

"This task is mine. If you try to stop me, you will fail."

"Brother, do not force our hand." Thor said, Stormbreaker in hand. "You are not yourself."

"From one soldier to another, don't do this." Steve said. "We fought against this together. Let's finish this together."

"I will warn you one last time. Leave." Kratos replied.

Steve walked up to Kratos, arms outstretched.

"You're not a monster, Ghost. You...the real you...is an Avenger." Steve whispered. "Avengers are family. Don't do this."

"I warned you."

Kratos backhanded Steve, hitting him square in the jaw. Steve was thrown through the air and hit the pillar in the distance. Kratos erupted in a flash of energy. His wings sprang from his back, and in a blast of light, he was airborne.

"He's going for the statue. Thor." Steve said, rubbing his jaw.

"I'm on it." Thor said, blasting off himself.

Kratos looked behind him, at the Asgardian trying to catch up.

"KRATOS!" Thor roared after him. "STOP!"

Kratos ignored the god behind him and dove into the mouth of the Phoenix Statue. He felt the cold water of the flooded temple hit his body. Steam rose up as the water vaporized on contact with his wings. He jumped out of the water in time to avoid a lightning bolt from Thor that electrified the whole pool. Thor landed across the temple on a round platform.

"Brother, please." Thor said. "I know Loki's loss was hard for you. It was hard for me as well! Let's find the stones together, not apart."

Thor's eyes went wide as the Leviathan axe flew straight for his head. He dodged and felt the axe sing past his ear. The axe embedded itself in the wall behind him. Thor turned around, and Kratos was gone. He looked to the hole, broken through the statue of a face, the only place for him to have gone.

"Thor, what's your status?" Steve asked over the comms.

"I'm moving farther into the temple." Thor replied.

"Bad idea, you don't know what's in there. Regroup, we'll-"

Thor switched off his radio and pursued Kratos further into the temple. The halls seemed to go on forever. He grabbed hold of the massive door in his way and pulled it open. The door creaked and rumbled, debris crumbling down onto the Asgardian as he held the door open enough to pass through.

The door fell behind him with a crash, and Thor found himself in a strange circular room, which seemed much better maintained than the rest of the temple. He jumped down to the polished floor and scanned the area. The door in the middle of the room was surrounded by shattered shards of a mirror. He passed through the door and continued through.

The next room was dark, and everything inside was lit with a strange blue mist. The height of the room was disorienting, and Thor decided not to look up for too long. Beyond the mist was a set of platforms, with spiral stairs leading up to somewhere. He approached the platforms, and noticed, to his horror, a massive skeleton with ribs that stretched hundreds of meters upwards through the column. Arms seemed to be attached at random all along its spine, but it only seemed to possess two legs at its base.

Thor flew up to the top platform only to see the skull of the creature, surprisingly small for the rest of its size. A giant pendulum was stabbed through its brain, still stuck there from when it died millennia ago. Around the creature, millions of strands of thread hung from every surface of the wall.

A hand broke through the stone floor that Thor was standing on. Thor felt himself get pulled through the stone floor, slamming face-first into the floor of the level below. Thor tried to get up, but he felt another hand on his leg, and he felt himself get thrown across the room.

Kratos watched as Thor rammed into the wall, sending cracks all the way up the stonework. The temple shook. Through the dust, Kratos saw a charge of electricity. He braced as Thor shot a lightning bolt against him. The bolt hit his blades and bounced away, hitting Clotho's skeleton and the platforms above. Clotho's bones lost their integrity and came crashing down. Hundreds of tons of bone hit the ground below, shaking the temple even further. Rocks were coming down from the ceiling as Thor landed across from Kratos.

"Brother, what ails you?" Thor asked. "Not five years ago we were brothers!"

Kratos just scowled and swung the blades at the confused Asgardian. Thor blocked the attacks, but he had grown slow without the practice of battle, and Kratos was fresh from half a decade of death and war. Thor felt himself slowly losing ground to the raging creature before him. The flames of his blades swung about, creating an ominous glow in the darkened chamber.

Thor released a burst of electricity, giving him a moment's pause as Kratos rolled out of the way of the lightning bolt.

"Very well, brother. I will do what I must." Thor said, his eyes glowing white with the power of the storm.

"So shall I." Kratos grumbled.

Thor lobbed Stormbreaker towards Kratos, which he dodged by punching a hole down to the lower level. As he fell, he stabbed the blades into the platform above him and swung upward, kicking his way back up through the floor. His feet hit Thor in the chest, sending him flying towards the wall. Thor stopped himself before he hit the wall and hovered there, recalling Stormbreaker as he did so. Kratos heard the whoosh of the axe. He turned around and grabbed a hold of the handle as it passed him, shooting him straight for Thor. Using the momentum, he let go of the axe and drove both blades straight for Thor's chest. Thor's eyes went wide and he blocked the blades with his arm. The blades went through his arm, cauterizing the wounds instantly. Thor let out a roar of pain and kicked the Spartan off him.

Kratos went falling towards the bottom of the chamber. He activated his wings and flew straight back up for Thor, who was hovering far above. He pulled out the Blade of Olympus and shot a beam of godly energy straight for his foe, but Thor dodged and returned fire with a wide spread of lightning. Kratos dodged the blast with the massive blade, but he could still feel the sting of electricity on his legs and arms. He flew above the Asgardian, let out a roar of anger and brought the blade down on Thor. Thor tried to block with Stormbreaker, but his one working arm proved useless against the blow. The Blade of Olympus cut through Stormbreaker's handle and into Thor's shoulder. Thor screamed as the blade drove into his collarbone and severed his pectorals in half.

Kratos grabbed Thor by the long unkempt hair and tossed him back into the top platform. Thor rolled a ways before stopping. Blood poured out of his gaping shoulder wound. Both arms were useless. Kratos landed on the platform and trudged towards the defeated god. He dropped the Blade of Olympus and grabbed Thor by the collar of his armor. Kratos pulled his hand back and threw a hook into Thor's jaw. Then another into his cheek.

"Brother…" Thor said desperately through swollen lips.

Kratos ignored Thor's words and threw blow after blow into Thor's face. Flashbacks of New York appeared in his thoughts, but he kept punching away, until Thor's face was an unrecognizable mess.

"It's true then…" Thor mumbled as Kratos got up off the defeated Asgardian.

Kratos ignored him and grabbed the Blade of Olympus from the ground.

"You are the Godslayer after all." Thor whispered after coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Kratos paused for a second. The Godslayer...the thing he ran for so long to escape. He hated the name. He always had. He turned to Thor. The warrior that fought with him at so many battles. But Kratos wanted no more hiccups. When this is all over, Thor would never know this happened.

Kratos grabbed Thor by the neck with his free hand and dragged him to one of the threads. He wrapped the thread around Thor's neck and pulled. Thor gasped desperately for air as the thread slowly dug into his Asgardian skin. Eventually, after what felt like hours, and it very well may have been, Thor stopped struggling, and Kratos released his grasp of the thread. The thread remained embedded in Thor's neck, holding up the lifeless body from falling to the floor. Thor's body hung limply, his legs resting on the ground as his body hung there, dripping blood to the levels below.

"You could have walked away." Kratos said, turning his back on Thor's body and making his way to the mirror.

"What's the plan, boss?" Lexie asked in her usual tone.

"We find the thread for each stone, and rip them from history." Kratos replied.

"There are millions of threads in this place, and we aren't even sure they kept records of the stones." Lexie replied.

"They would have. If Zeus made a blade for the stones, then we can be sure he kept track of them. It may be several years before we find the right ones-"

"I think I found them." Lexie interrupted.

"How?" Kratos asked.

"Look at the blade."

Kratos looked down at the Blade of Olympus. Something was indeed pulling at the blade as it sat in his hand. He loosened his grip on the blade. The point of the blade moved involuntarily towards one of the spools hanging on the edge of the platform. He approached the spool, each step exciting the blade even further until it was vibrating in his hand. He put the blade away and began to search through the threads on the spool until suddenly, a strange blue thread poked out from the rest.

"We have our first stone." Kratos said.

/

"Thor? Thor?!" Steve said, pressing his finger to his earpiece.

"Anything?" Nat asked.

Steve turned to face her and shook his head.

"Oh, God…" Nat exclaimed. "What do we do?"

"We hope Bruce and Scott have that prototype ready. We have to act fast."

/

Kratos spun the spool and kept his eye on the mirror as the story of the Space Stone unfolded on its surface. The snap...when Thanos placed it on his gauntlet...when Loki stole it from the vault...the end of the Battle of New York…

But Kratos saw something he didn't expect.

"Stark…"

The mirror showed Tony, dressed in S.W.A.T. Gear, carrying the suitcase towards some stairs. Kratos locked the thread in place and launched himself through the mirror.


	23. Endgame

**23**

**Endgame**

**NEW YORK, 2012**

"Thumbelina, do you copy?" Tony whispered into his mic. "I've got eyes on the prize, it is go time."

The past versions of Stark, Loki, Thor, and Kratos came walking out of the elevator to Stark Tower. The destruction of the Battle of New York had long since been cleaned up, and it was time for Thor to take Loki home to answer for his crimes.

"Bombs away." Antman whispered.

Tony watched as his younger self scratched his neck.

"Is that Axe body spray?" Antman asked over the radio.

"I keep a can in the desk for emergencies, relax." Tony replied, giving a look of suspicion at the past Kratos. "Can we focus, please?"

"I'm going inside you, now." Antman said.

Tony kept his eyes on the suitcase as the secretary of SHIELD walked up to his past self. He couldn't make out the conversation, but he remembered the general idea. They had to get the suitcase before the secretary got a hold of it.

"Hand over the case, it's been SHIELD property for 70 years." The secretary said.

"Hand it over, Stark." One of the agents said, grabbing for the case.

"Alright, move it, Stuart Little, things are getting dicey out here, let's go." Tony said into his mic.

"Promise me you won't die?" Antman asked.

"You're only giving me a mild cardiac dysrhythmia." Tony replied impatiently.

"That doesn't sound mild." Antman replied nervously.

The argument began to devolve into a shoving contest as SHIELD and Avenger personnel fought over the suitcase. Voices began to rise as the two groups pulled at the case.

"Do it, Lang!" Tony snapped. "Window's closing, pull my pin!"

"Here goes!" Antman said.

Suddenly, past Tony gasped and collapsed to the floor. The suitcase hit the floor with a clang. The group suddenly fell silent as Tony began convulsing on the floor.

"Medic!" Tony said nervously as his past self slowly died on the floor. "This guy needs some help!"

Suddenly, the suitcase slid quickly across the floor in Tony's direction. Giving a quick shrug, Tony lunged for the suitcase and nonchalantly walked away.

"Good job. Meet me in the alley-"

"Stark."

Tony stopped walking, his posture stiffened.

"Special K." Tony said, turning around.

"Give me the stone." Kratos said, standing close enough behind Stark for him to feel the breath on his neck.

Tony turned around.

"I...I can't." Tony replied. His grip tightening on the case. "Not after what you did."

"Then you know what will happen to you if you don't."

"STAIRS!"

A roar of anger came from the staircase. The door exploded open, and past Hulk came crashing through. Tony tried to use the distraction by running out of Kratos' reach, but Kratos grabbed Tony by the arm.

"Don't make me do this." Kratos whispered.

"NO STAIRS!" Hulk screamed as the civilians all scampered away from the giant green monster.

Hulk turned to Kratos.

"Jolly Green! Help a buddy out please!" Tony yelled.

Hulk looked at Kratos dead in the eyes. He gave a deafening roar and charged him. Kratos dropped Tony and ripped his blades out just in time to block a punch straight to his face. The SHIELD agents pulled their weapons. Past Thor looked at Kratos in absolute confusion, then at Past Kratos. Past Kratos looked at Thor, then at his future self. Loki kept his eye on the suitcase.

Kratos counterattacked Hulk with a slash across his chest. The Blades of Chaos cut only cosmetically into Hulk's skin. Hulk gave a yelp of anger as the blades slashed his chest. The green monster instinctually backhanded at the demigod, sending Kratos into the streets, smashing through cars and rolling into the buildings across the street.

"SWORD IS CHEATING!" Hulk screamed.

Kratos ripped himself out from the wall and waited for Hulk to make his way into the street. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Thor coming to Hulk's aid, along with the SHIELD agents. He equipped the Cestus and ran straight for Hulk. Hulk threw a left hook, which Kratos dodged and returned with an uppercut to Hulk's jaw. Hulk went flying into the eighth level of Stark tower, sending concrete and glass down into the street at high velocity. The SHIELD agents all ran for cover as shards of glass came slicing down into them.

Kratos felt Mjolnir ram into his chest. The wind was knocked out of him, and he was once again flung into the buildings behind him. Wall after wall passed by his eyes as the hammer pushed him further and further into the block. Finally, he came to a stop, landing in a pile of rubble in an alleyway, blocks away from Stark Tower. He stood up and scanned for Thor. He heard Hulk's roar in the distance. He had to find Tony before he escaped with the stone back to the future.

"Lexie. Scan for the Stone. Where is he?!" Kratos asked.

"Scanning...it's moving away from us. I've marked it on your map." Lexie replied.

Kratos ran in the direction of the blip on his HUD. Suddenly, a massive green arm ripped through the wall next to him and plunged him into the street. He felt the road split apart as Hulk pushed him along the road, ripping up cars and street signs as they went. Kratos grabbed Hulk's pinky finger and pulled it away from him with a snap. There was a cracking noise as the bones in his pinky shattered. Hulk gave a scream of pain and curb-stomped Kratos into the concrete. While Hulk was nursing his broken finger, Kratos threw the blades into Hulk's body and used them to pull himself out of the hole in the concrete. Taking a more stable stance, Kratos gave the blades a yank.

Hulk staggered as Kratos pulled the beast down, pulling with the blades until Hulk was off-balance. Hulk fell to the ground, and Kratos jumped onto his chest. Before Kratos could begin to shred Hulk's chest, Kratos felt the static in the air rise. He ducked in time to avoid Mjolnir, which whizzed just by his head.

"Who are you, imposter!" Thor asked as Mjolnir returned to his hand.

Kratos ignored Thor's question and sent a volley of punches against Hulk's face with the Cestus. Hulk grunted with each blow. He grabbed Kratos and tossed the Spartan blocks away. Kratos rolled, ripping up street, until finally coming to a stop.

"Kratos," Lexie said. "The stone is coming this way."

"What?" Kratos said, turning his attention to the distance marker on his HUD.

100 meters...85 meters…50 meters…

Both Thor and Hulk came charging Kratos.

"GREY MAN BAD!" Hulk roared.

"You hide behind the mask of the Godslayer. Who are you?" Thor asked.

35 meters...10 meters…

Suddenly, a car flew straight at Thor, hitting him square in the face. Kratos looked over and saw his past self, picking up cars and throwing them at the two Avengers. Kratos used the distraction and charged Hulk, kicking the creature into the wall behind him. He leaped onto Hulk and rammed the Cestus into Hulk's skull, over and over until the green monster was no longer moving. Hulk slowly returned into Bruce, his green skin returning to its normal pink hue and his muscle mass shrinking to normal human size.

"He's alive." Lexie said, displaying Bruce's vitals on the HUD.

Kratos turned just in time to watch his past self punch Thor into a building. Past Kratos turned to Kratos.

"What are you doing here?" Past Kratos asked.

"Why do you aid me?" Kratos asked.

"You are me, whether from another time or place, I do not care. But if you are me, then you have a reason to be here."

"You cannot be sure it is me." Kratos said.

Past Kratos stared into Kratos' eyes. "I've lived with those eyes for many millennia. Those eyes are my own. For better or worse, your choice is my choice. Your quest is my own."

"He has the stone." Lexie stated in Kratos' ear.

"You have what I seek." Kratos said, pointing at Past Kratos.

Past Kratos looked down at his belt and grabbed the tesseract.

"What of Stark?" Kratos asked.

"He will survive." Past Kratos stated.

Kratos reached for the tesseract, but Past Kratos recoiled his arm.

"Tell me one thing." Past Kratos whispered.

"We do not have time for this!" Kratos said, raising his voice.

"Tell me why you use the blades again." Past Kratos demanded, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Kratos blinked once or twice. He thought about telling his past self about Loki, about Thanos, about Abaddon, about Athena, about Artemis, about anything. It would take too long.

"You will understand."

"I had better." Past Kratos grunted, once again extending his arm to Kratos.

Kratos took the tesseract and crumbled it in his hand. The dust of the cube blew away in the wind to reveal the space stone, sitting innocently in his palm.

Kratos nodded to his past self.

"Good luck explaining yourself." Kratos said.

"You were an alien. You cast an illusion to look like me and controlled my mind. I broke free of the spell. I crushed you under a truck." Past Kratos said.

Kratos gave a nod.

"Why did you shave the beard?" Past Kratos asked.

Kratos ignored his past self, and in a flash of green light, he was gone.

/

"Are we sure the stones fit on this sword?" Lexie asked as Kratos touched the stone to the blade in random places.

"Eternity would not lie. I do not believe…" Kratos replied, touching the stone to the pommel, then to the crossguard.

Kratos gave a grunt of frustration. No matter where he touched the stone to the sword, it wouldn't stick. Kratos stood up to pace a little. He walked back and forth, eyeing the blade and scowling.

"Even in death, Zeus continues to fight me..." Kratos said to himself.

"Maybe it doesn't go _on_ the blade. Maybe it goes _in_ the blade." Lexie said.

Kratos thought for a moment. He picked up the blade and tried to feed the stone into the mouth of the face decorating the crossguard.

"No." Kratos said frustratedly.

Then, he looked at the small sliver of empty space lining the middle of the blade itself. Kratos held the blade out, parallel with the ground, and dropped the Stone in the gap. There was a flash of blue light and a surge of power that shot through Kratos' arm like an electric shock. Kratos looked down at the blade, and the Space Stone was resting, hovering inside the gap in the blade, held in place by two beams of blue energy.

Kratos looked at the blade, now glowing a blue shade matching that of the Stone. Kratos closed his eyes and thought _travel_. There was a flash of blue, and he was suddenly twenty-thousand feet in the air, over the surface of mars. He thought _loom chamber_, and in another flash of blue, he was back in the temple.

"One down." Lexie said.

"Five more…" Kratos said, turning his eyes to the mirror.

Kratos felt an itch on his neck.

Suddenly, a man appeared from nowhere, wearing a strange suit of armor.

"Stop right there!" Antman said, holding his hand out and speaking in as heroic a voice as he could muster.

"You are…?" Kratos asked, cocking his head to one side.

"I...really? Nobody ever knows...I'm Antman..." Scott said, pressing his hand to his chest.

Kratos's curiosity turned to anger. "You have come to the wrong place, insect."

"Oh, ho, ho, I am WELL aware I am out of my league here, but…" Scott started. "I can't let you do this. You're a madman."

"Madness is to face an Olympian without a weapon." Kratos argued, wrapping both hands around the Blade of Olympus.

"Oh it's mad, but I have one 'little' trick up my sleeve..." Scott replied.

There was a whoosh, and Antman was nowhere to be seen. Kratos scanned the room.

"Scanning." Lexie announced. "Watch out!"

Kratos felt something punch him in the face. His face jerked with the force of the blow. Another one hit his other side. Then an uppercut.

"What sorcery is this?" Kratos asked, swinging the blade through the air, sending beams of energy across the chamber.

The beams arced across the room, shooting holes through the walls of the temple.

"He's almost microscopic, somehow. I have acquired his heat signature." Lexie said.

Kratos' vision went to infrared, and he saw it. A little red dot jumping around, dodging his blade left and right. The little dot jumped for his head for another strike. Kratos aimed his hand for the dot and closed his fist around it.

And gave it a squeeze.

Kratos opened his palm, but there was no heat signature at all. Then, there was a massive heat signature. Kratos pulled his hand away as Antman grew to the size of the chamber, his head breaking through the ceiling.

"Okay, evil god man." Scott said, looking down at Kratos. "Give us back that shiny rock!"

Antman raised his massive foot off the ground and brought it crashing down on Kratos. Kratos held his hands over his head and caught the giant foot on its way down. He freed one hand and stabbed the Blade of Olympus upward into the foot. The Blade's energy built up and exploded in a burst of blue light, creating a giant gaping hole in Scott's foot. Scott screamed and lost his balance, falling backward into the temple walls. Kratos jumped up onto Antman's chest and aimed the blade for his heart. There was a giant whoosh, and Scott was gone.

Kratos scanned the room, but there was nothing. No heat signature, no sign of the intruder. Kratos felt a little tug on his blade. He looked down at the stone and saw a little man, with both arms wrapped around the space stone as it sat in the blade. Kratos sighed and rolled his eyes. Using the power of the Space Stone, he materialized a tiny portal around Scott. There was a tiny flash of blue and Scott was gone.

"Where did you send him?" Lexie asked.

"The core of Jupiter." Kratos said. "On to the next stone."

/

**EARTH, 2012**

"I said...KNEEL!"

Loki watched as the crowd of humans that stood before him all began to lower themselves to their knees. Loki stood before them, clad in his horned crown and his royal robes. The gold color of his armor glistened in the blue light of his scepter, and his cape flowed calmly in the cool night breeze.

Loki gave a wide smile before his subjects.

"Is not this simpler?" Loki asked, striding into the crowd. "Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation."

Loki scanned the crowd as he waded through it. Every face he turned to look at was lowered in fear.

"The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power...for identity."

The crowd stayed silent.

"You were _made_ to be ruled." Loki continued, his arm dancing eloquently in sync with his own words.

"In the end, you will always kneel." Loki finished with a wide grin on his face.

"The time of gods is dead, boy." Kratos grumbled.

Loki spun around.

"Who do you think you are, pale man?" Loki said.

"Give me the scepter, boy." Kratos replied, holding out his arm.

Loki's eyes went wide.

"You...you're the Godslayer!"

Loki began to back away from the hulking figure before him. For every step back Loki took, Kratos took one step forward.

"The scepter," Kratos demanded. "Now."

"You'll have to pry it from my-"

With one punch to the nose, Loki was on the ground. The crowd began to panic and scattered into the streets. Kratos picked up the scepter and reached for the blue bulb at the end of it. Suddenly, a volley of cannon fire from a quinjet hit his armor. The high caliber of the rounds knocked him back a step or two. It stung.

"Okay, baldie." Came Natasha's voice from the jet. "Drop the scepter."

Captain America jumped off the jet and landed with a thud on the ground.

"You heard the lady." Steve said. "Drop it."

Kratos looked at Loki. He considered simply taking this past version of Loki and starting over, but he knew it would not be the same. He knew that the power-hungry child was not his son. It would be several more years before they would even meet. Loki was not ready. Kratos pulled out the blade of Olympus and opened up a portal. Steve ran to tackle the Spartan, but in a split-second flash of blue, Kratos was gone.

"Do we have a positive I.D. on the bald guy?" Captain America asked, looking around for evidence of the scepter.

"I'm not sure, but we have Loki. Cuff him now, worry about the other guy later." Natasha said.

"Agent Romanov…" Tony's voice came over Nat's headset. "Did you miss me?"

AC/DC's Shoot to Thrill began to play in the Jet's loudspeakers. Steve looked to the sky to see Iron Man, flying in from behind the cityscape in the distance. Tony landed with a metallic thud and looked around. He stared at Loki holding his bleeding nose on the ground and shrugged.

"I guess you did miss me..." Tony said. "Don't tell me you took him down on your own, Choir Boy."

"Nope," Steve said. "It was some pale, bald guy, red tattoo, greek armor, big glowy sword. He has the scepter..."

"Huh." Tony said. "Put out an APB for 'Can't miss him."

/

**VORMIR, 1986**

Kratos stood over the ledge, looking down at the misty abyss below. The cold snow whipped his goatee, and the everlasting solar eclipse in the sky cast a strange red glow over the stone pillars to his left and right.

"You see now, Ghost of Sparta…" Red Skull spoke, his ghostly voice carrying across the wind. "This is where your journey ends. You are without love, and those you loved, you could not sacrifice. The stone is not yours to take, as much as it is not mine to have. You are not strong enough."

Kratos peered into the distant horizon, the clouds colored red by the setting of the eclipse on the horizon.

"No." He replied. "But there are many who are."

Kratos opened a vortex and stepped through. Red Skull sighed and hovered away, continuing his eternal patrol of the shrine, forever forced to greet those who foolishly thought they could make the sacrifice. Kratos was not the first to fail, and he would not be the last. Red Skull would be there to greet each one in turn, until the end of days.

Then, the German scientist felt the wind change direction as another vortex appeared by the cliffside. Kratos came through, dragging a Luphomoid woman and child with him.

"Spartan…" Red Skull said as Kratos pulled the two through the vortex, "This is not the way it is done."

"It is the way I will do it." Kratos said sternly, dragging the two aliens to the edge and pushing them in place.

"Please don't do this!" The Luphomoid mother said, barely able to speak as grief overtook her.

Kratos ignored her pleas as he positioned them at the cliffside.

"Do it." He said coldly.

The Luphomoid child screamed as she tottered on the cliffside. The mother's tears streamed down her face as Kratos held her at the edge.

"You will both fall if you do not." Kratos whispered into the mother's ear. "And I will find another. And another. Until it is done."

The Luphomoid began to wail as she took her child in her arms. She looked down at her screaming child, then tried to run, but Kratos held her stiffly in his arms.

"I will go!" She said finally. "I will jump! Just...Please ensure she gets home to her father!"

Kratos paused.

"Fine."

Kratos let go out the woman. The Luphomoid turned and placed her child in Kratos' arms.

"Stay safe, little Nebula." The woman whispered to the girl, wiping the tears from her daughter's confused eyes before turning away. The child realized what was happening and began to scream, reaching out for her mother. The mother took one last look back, one last smile for her child to remember, before stepping off the ledge.

There was a moment of quiet as the child's screams were cut short from the shock. The sky began to glow as a beam of energy pulsed from the shrine. Kratos' sight was blinded by an overwhelming flash. When his eyes readjusted to the darkness of the planet, he was standing in a pool of water, far away from the shrine. The child was asleep, lying face-up in the pool, an orange glow emanating from her closed hand. Kratos took the child in his arms and opened her hand. The Soul Stone, a surprisingly small thing for such a devastating cost.

Kratos opened a vortex and walked through, returning the child to her village, as promised, before disappearing.

/

**NEW YORK, 2012**

On the roof of the New York Chapter, the Ancient One waved her hand. A magic fan flew across the sky, smiting Chitauri airships out of the sky with each flick of her wrist.

Then, her head flinched.

"You are not supposed to be here, Spartan." The Ancient One said.

"You know why I came." Kratos grumbled.

"Yes. And you know why I cannot give it to you."

"I do not care why you cannot. You will."

The Ancient one turned to face the Spartan.

"Kratos, you have already damaged the timeline beyond repair. I cannot give you this stone."

"Then I will do what I must." Kratos said, pulling the blade of Olympus from his belt, displaying the three stones, hovering in the gap in the center of the blade.

"You have three already." The Ancient One exclaimed. "You've been busy."

"Saved a little work for me." Came another voice.

The two turned with surprise to see the Hulk.

"Banner." Kratos grunted.

"Ghost." Banner replied.

"You control the green beast now." Kratos noted. "Surprising."

"I'm full of surprises." Bruce replied. "Wizard lady, don't give him the stone. You don't know what he's done."

"I do actually." The Ancient one explained. "He's doomed several timelines to destruction. Without the stones, they are wide open to attack from the evils of the universe."

"I do not care." Kratos replied. "I will fix it when I am done."

"Don't give it to him." Bruce pleaded.

"She has no choice." Kratos said. "You do. Leave."

"I don't think so." Bruce said.

Bruce charged Kratos, who learned a few tricks after watching Thanos. A blue flash and Bruce's ghostly body faded through the floor. Kratos turned to the Ancient One.

Kratos swung the blade down onto her, which she blocked with a shield of magic. All she had to do was touch him. She reached out for Kratos' forehead to push his soul from his body, but Kratos had anticipated the attack and protected himself with the Soul Stone. There was a flash of orange, and the Sorcerer Supreme was knocked back. Kratos stabbed for the Sorcerer, but with a flick of her hand, a gateway into the mirror dimension opened up, sending them both into it.

Kratos landed on a fractal platform. He looked around, at the disorienting landscape around him. The city in the distance had morphed into an unrecognizable maze of patterns and fractals.

"You can't hurt anyone here." The Sorcerer explained. "And there is no escape."

Kratos huffed and charged her, but with a flick of her wrist, the universe began to twist and contort even further. Kratos lost his balance as gravity began to shift this way and that, every motion of the Ancient One's hands reflected in the shifting of the New York cityscape. Kratos felt his feet slide out from under him as he began to fall, sideways and upside-down through the skyscrapers of New York. His rage began to fuel his body, and his wings sprang from his back. He regained his orientation and flew straight for the Sorcerer.

The Ancient One tried to block his approach with buildings and fractal structures, but Kratos only had to swing his blade, and the Space Stone's power would obliterate the objects in his path. Finally, he reached the Sorcerer. He aimed the tip of the blade for her heart. She saw the blade coming and put up a shield to defend herself, but just before the blade hit her shield, there was a flash of blue, and Kratos had disappeared. She looked around, scanning desperately for the Spartan. There was a moment of silence, then a flash of yellow as the Blade of Olympus lightly touched her shoulder. She felt her strength of will fail as her mind slowly fell from her control.

"Release me from this dimension, witch." Kratos ordered.

The Sorcerer Supreme tried to resist, but the Mind Stone had her in his grasp. She flicked her wrist, and the two were back on the roof. Kratos pulled the blade from the Sorcerer and kicked her in the back. Her body hit cement and brick as she tumbled across the roof before hitting the floor, her body broken and limp. She felt a hand dig into her shoulder as Kratos spun her around.

"Kratos...you would doom us all." She whispered.

"Silence." He said as he ripped the amulet from her neck and disappeared into the green vortex back to the Temple of the Fates.

Bruce burst through the door to the roof.

"Where'd he go? Oh shit…" Bruce said, noticing the sorcerer on the ground. "I'm so sorry, he trapped me in the planet's crust. I tried not to break too many artifacts...What happened?"

"He has the stone." The Ancient One said, blood leaking from the corners of her mouth.

"Okay, how screwed are we?" Bruce asked, picking her up and taking her inside.

"Even this future I cannot see…" The Ancient One replied weakly. "Our fates have been forever changed. It is now in Kratos' hands now not to 'screw us' too badly."

"So...we're screwed." Bruce said solemnly.

/

**ASGARD, 2013**

Heimdall's eyes gazed into the stars, watching over the realms, as he always had. He looked at the Light Elves and their merriment, to Midgard and their curious ways, to Jottenheim and their cold misery.

Then, something behind him caught his attention. Intruder. Heimdall pulled Hofund from the Bifrost and sprinted down the rainbow bridge to warn the king.

/

Kratos looked down at the unconscious girl. Jane Foster. Blissfully unaware that the God of War was standing over her. Behind Kratos, there was a quiet scratch of claw on stone. He turned around, and there stood Rocket, Aether extractor in hand, extremely surprised to see Kratos there. The two looked at each other.

Kratos shook his head and held out his hand for the extractor. Rocket looked at the extractor, then at Kratos. He shook his head in return. Kratos rolled his eyes and motioned for the two to leave the room. Rocket followed Kratos out into the empty hallway.

"Give me the extractor, creature." Kratos whispered.

"You think I'm going to hand this over to you, after what you did to Thor?" Rocket whispered back.

"You have no choice. Not against me."

"Look at you..." Rocket replied disappointingly. "You walk around, acting like you're the only person that lost somebody! Like an angsty teen! How old are you again, like...three thousand years? Grow up!"

"I-" Kratos started.

"You and I _both _lost the only family we had! I lost Groot, Quill, Drax, Gamora, and the bug lady, whose name I forget. And you think you're entitled to threaten me like you're the only fart in the universe who can get this job done?"

"Enough." Kratos insisted.

"Now, I liked Thor. I can't give you this extractor. You're going to have to kill me."

"You do not understand…" Kratos started.

"Oh, I understand, alright! All you care about is yourself. You and your stupid son! I bet all you'll do with the stones is bring him back, and leave the rest of us with nothing."

Kratos was surprised by the little creature and its fearlessness.

"Go on. Do it. Rip my head off. Get it over with." Rocket said, tightening his grip on the extractor, closing his eyes and looking away.

Kratos thought about killing this creature. It would be easy. One snap of its neck and it would be dead.

"Rocket." Kratos said. "Trust that I will make this right. Give me the vial."

Rocket opened his eyes and looked at Kratos with bewilderment. "No! Trust you?! Wha- God, No! You killed Thor! Like...what the Hell would compel me to-"

Kratos rolled his eyes and flicked Rocket on the forehead. Rocket's head flicked back, snapping his neck. The creature hit the ground, his hand opening to reveal the Aether Extractor. Kratos took the extractor and entered Jane's room. She was still unconscious. Kratos jammed the extractor into her neck and waited for it to fill with the red material.

The alarms erupted throughout the city. Kratos heard the clanking of armor coming from down the hallway. Yells of warriors barking orders at each other. Kratos backed into the green portal, and was gone, leaving Rocket's body on the cold stone of Asgard.

/

**THANOS' SHIP, 2012**

"Access the duplicate's current memory. I want to see what she's doing right now."

Thanos looked into her daughter's eyes as she sat motionless in the air, the computer cords plugged into her brain stem.

Ebony's fingers swirled over the console's display. There was a beep, and Nebula's hologram projector sprang to life.

"Who is that?" Thanos asked.

On the hologram, only the face of a scowling, pale man could be seen. Nebula's grunts could be heard through the speaker as Kratos punched her, over and over. Finally, the hologram blurred. The projection rolled, then came to a stop, only displaying a sideways view of the ground. The projection was deathly still as Kratos stepped into view, picked up the Orb and walked away.

"Whoever he is, I think he just killed your daughter." Ebony said.

"No." Thanos said. "He's killed a future version. And he's taken the power stone. Where is this footage taken?"

"Xandar." Ebony explained.

"That's where it was hiding, all this time." Thanos said to himself. "We must find this future Nebula and retrieve her body. If it is capable of time travel, then we need to unveil its secrets. That human has the power stone, and I want it. Zoom in on his face."

The hologram zoomed in on Kratos' face.

"Such an empty man. You can see it in his eyes." Thanos mumbled. "I will see you soon, pale warrior."


	24. The Battle of the Island of Creation

**24**

**The Battle of the Island of Creation**

The Hangar of the Avengers facility was silent. Suddenly, the time machine began to spring back to life as the remaining Avengers popped back into existence. They regained their balance and looked around.

"Did we get any of them?" Bruce asked.

The group was silent as they all looked around.

"Did we get _any _at all?" Bruce asked again, more desperately.

"Where's Rocket?" Nat asked.

"Tony!" Clint exclaimed, running over to help the broken man as he lay on the floor.

"He was there…" Tony struggled to say. "He...his past self grabbed me. He took the stone…"

"Where's Nebula?!" Nat asked War Machine, who stood there silently.

"He...I couldn't stop him." Rhodes replied, holding back tears. "I fucked up…"

"You left her there?!" Steve asked. "You left her suit in the past?!"

"He beat us all to it." Clint said quietly. "We all fucked up."

"My god…" Steve said. "He has them all."

"Now what do we do?" Bruce asked.

"We gather everybody left. Everybody we can muster against him." Nat said. "We go to that temple...and we jam a nuke down his throat."

/

"You might only have one or two shots at this." Lexie mentioned. "Judging from Thanos' damage patterns when he used them, the stones will be extremely hazardous once activated. You will sustain damage, and I'm not sure if your god regeneration will help."

Kratos sat and stared at the sword in his hands. The bright patterns of light that rippled up and down the blade lit up the Loom Chamber with a dance of shadows and color. The six stones sat in the blade, a low hum emanating from the power contained within them. Kratos stared at it for a long time.

"What are you waiting for, boss?" Lexie asked.

"Now that I have it," Kratos started. "I am not sure what I shall do with it."

"Undo the damage, I guess." Lexie replied.

Kratos stared at the blade for entire minutes in silence.

"I've downloaded your entire SHIELD file." Lexie stated. "I'm assuming you're thinking of undoing much more than just what Thanos did."

"This blade...I could undo everything."

"Define Everything."

"I could undo...me." Kratos whispered to himself. "I could undo my existence. Every wrong I ever did. Everyone that died because of me...because of Ares...every god..."

"That would be illogical. If you undo yourself, you would never exist to undo yourself."

"Helmet..."

"Sorry, I'll keep the time paradox speak to a minimum."

"Give me a moment in silence to think."

"I'll put myself in sleep mode."

Kratos sat there. He looked at the empty spot on his belt. Mimir's advice would have come in handy right about now. He swung the blade at the air, and the power of the reality, soul and time stones flashed across the chamber. The room went pitch black, and Kratos thought of all the people in his life that tried to steer him in the right...or wrong direction. Before his eyes, four apparitions appeared, ghostly and faded. It was hard to tell who they were, but he knew each one intensely well.

"Erasing yourself from the universe would be the smartest thing you ever did." Athena's voice came from one spirit.

"Athena was weak." His own, younger voice answered. "You have the chance to go back and kill Thanos before the snap. It worked for Zeus. It will work now."

"And millions died because of you and Zeus!" Athena snapped back.

"Brother…" Mimir's voice spoke up, "The stones are a responsibility far beyond any mortal...or immortal. They weren't meant for the likes of us, whether we are wise or not. Just undo Thanos' work. Don't go back and change the past again. People have been born and have grown up since the snap. Don't erase them."

"You are a stain on reality." Athena replied. "If you were gone, Thor would still be alive. Everyone you've murdered...would _still _be alive."

Kratos looked at Thor's body, still hanging limply from the threads of fate in the distance.

"You threw a mother to her death." Athena said sternly. "Leaving her daughter alone. Nothing you do with those stones will alter the actions you have taken to get them."

"You don't need to off yourself just because you made some bad choices." Mimir said. "Bring them back. You can still save half the universe. We don't know what will happen if you meddle with your past more than you already have."

"They were fools to cross you!" Kratos' young voice said aggressively. "Revenge is your only true path. It is an art that we have perfected. The Avengers would not be the first you left behind. They are nothing."

"My love…"

The fourth voice echoed in the darkness. Kratos looked up from his thoughts.

"Faye." Kratos said. "The choice is not as clear as it once was."

Faye's ghost walked up to the Spartan and placed a shadowy, transparent hand on his cheek.

"There are many paths for you to take. But you already know the choice." She said.

"Do what is best for our son." Kratos replied.

The ghost nodded. Kratos couldn't tell for sure, but the shift in the spirit's face may have been a smile. Faye's smile, the one thing that stopped his anger, the one creature that tolerated him for what he was.

"I am sorry, wife." Kratos said weakly. "I let Loki die. I gave in to anger. My oath to you is broken."

"It is not broken yet." Faye said. "Save him. Bring him back. Undo the death you have wrought. Undo what Thanos has done."

"I second that." Mimir's animated voice echoed through the darkness.

"You would listen to this Frost Giant?" Athena scorned. "You have tried to kill yourself more times than I can count, and _now_ you won't do it, when you know it will work? Coward!"

"Don't listen to the females, they know nothing of battle!" Kratos' younger self roared. "End this before it began!"

"I have decided." Kratos said, slashing the Blade of Olympus through the air. In a burst of light, the visions were gone, and Kratos was back in the Loom Chamber.

Kratos stood up. He held the sword up, and pointed the blade to the ground.

As he moved to plunge the sword into the stone, an incalculable flash of light erupted around him. The million-degree heat overtook his senses, and he was both blinded and deafened by the raw energy.

But it didn't come from the Blade.

Kratos felt himself get thrown halfway across the Island of Creation. The Blade left his hand as his body was hit by shock-wave after shock-wave of air and the chaos of nuclear fusion. He felt the heat burn away at his eyes until his corneas had all but melted away. The only sound in his ears was a high-pitched ring. He felt his body hit the ground. Trees, rocks and water all assaulted his body as he rolled across the landscape.

He came to a stop by ramming into an ancient statue of the fates. The statue split in two as the god's body struck the stonework. He couldn't see or hear anything, but his godly regeneration began to slowly fix what was broken. He felt his eyes slowly regenerate, and within a minute or two, he could see again. He pulled himself out of the statue and groaned as he stood upright.

In the distance was the shadow of a mushroom cloud, towering over the island. The Temple was nothing but rubble on the mountain in the distance. The trees around him were torn and windswept, brought down by the shock-wave. The echoes of the blast eventually fell silent. Kratos looked around him for the Blade, but it was nowhere to be seen.

"NO!" Kratos roared, whipping his head back and forth in search of the Blade. "Lexie, find the blade…Lexie!"

Kratos tried to activate the helmet, but the Stark-made equipment had been irreparably damaged from the blast. Kratos ripped the helmet's sparking electronics from his armor and tossed it to the ground.

The rumble of Quinjets grew in the distance. Kratos slowly pulled the Blades of Chaos from his back, his muscles and bones still regenerating from the blast.

"Hold it right there, asshole."

Tony's amplified voice rang across the nuclear wasteland. There was a massive thud behind Kratos, which he turned around to meet. Before him stood a hulking suit of armor, similar in aesthetic to Odin's Destroyer. The muscular limbs were made of overlapping sheets of metal and stood a dozen feet tall. Arks of electricity sprang from its fists as it strode slowly and heavily toward the Spartan.

"This armor was designed in case we had to take down Thor." Tony's voice came over the suit's loudspeakers. "But it'll do against you."

"We have you outnumbered, Ghost." Nat's voice came from the Quinjet overhead.

Ropes fell from the sides of the jet, and out jumped the Avengers, Wong and the last of the members of the Order of the Mystic Arts. Korg and the last of the Asgardians arrived, armed with weapons of every assortment, from plasma rifles to rocket launchers to basic swords and shields. Behind them came several dozen soldiers of every nationality, from Russian to American to Wakandan. Every one of them was armed with the most state-of-the-art technology, from the latest in armor designs to the most advanced weaponry, no doubt reverse-engineered from Hydra's old designs and from Wakanda's armory. Kratos heard the thunder of several battle tanks as they thundered across the shredded ground to meet him. The ragtag group rushed to surround Kratos.

"We can't let you destroy the last hope we have." Steve said.

"You are making a mistake." Kratos replied.

"You made a mistake when you started icing your own guys." Tony said. "Bad form, Frosty."

"I want my family back, now where's the fucking stones?!" Clint roared, drawing an arrow from his quiver.

"He doesn't have them." Tony said. "There's no signature."

"Where did you hide them?" Steve asked.

Kratos stayed silent and slowly scanned the mob of enemies that surrounded him. Hulk first, then the battle tanks. The wizards would no doubt try to hold back and assault from behind. No sign of the space woman. Yet. The fractures in his bones were beginning to heal, but not fast enough. This was going to be unpleasant.

"I've picked up it's signature!" Tony said. "It's that way!"

The group looked at each other. Kratos looked at the group. The group looked at Kratos. Tony and Kratos looked at the location of the Blade. There was a sudden mad dash as everybody began to rush toward the Blade. Kratos slashed at one of the soldiers, slicing him in half as he ran. He waited for a tank to fire at him, but none did. He assumed they knew better than to fire so closely to their own people.

Then he felt a massive hand crush down on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going, Suntan?" Tony said as his massive hand tossed Kratos far into the distance, away from the blade.

Kratos rolled across the ground. He jabbed the Blades of Chaos into the ground to stop himself. He looked up to see the Thorbuster armor thudding towards him, each stride covering tens of meters. He rolled out of the way of the incoming punch, forcing Tony off-balance. Kratos pulled out a Cestus and rammed the gauntlet into the Thorbuster's thigh, not doing much more damage than a dent in the sheet metal.

Tony tried to throw his arm at Kratos, but his balance was too uneven, and the arm was easily dodged.

"Too slow, Stark." Kratos said as he threw another, more concentrated punch into the Thorbuster's chest. The Cestus crunched into the metal, creating a much more significant dent.

"Dodge this." Tony replied as he opened his palm ad pointed it at Kratos' face. Kratos' eyes widened as the beam charged. He tried to dodge, but Tony's armor locked onto him and calculated the Spartan's trajectory. The beam hit Kratos in the arm. Kratos' arm was blown backwards as the Asgardian Destroyer beam cut through Ares' armor and burnt into his skin. Kratos took advantage of the armor's slow movement. He rolled out of the way of the second beam and threw the Leviathan axe at Tony's head, hitting the eyepiece. Tony grunted and took a step back as the axe punctured the eyepiece and grazed his cheek. Kratos bounded up to Tony while he was distracted and shoulder-checked the axe further into Tony's armor, forcing the blade further into Tony's cheek. Tony screamed and fell backward. Kratos had no time to waste killing the mortal. In a burst of energy, Eternity's wings sprang from his back, and he took to the air to catch up with the chase for the Blade.

/

"Where are they?!" Clint roared as the group searched desperately through the forest.

The group had moved into a section of the island not as touched by the blast of the nuke. The trees remained upright, and the light of the sun had become clouded both by the overhead vegetation and by the slow-moving fallout.

"Tony said they were this way, keep looking!" Bruce replied as he ripped up trees and rocks from the dirt to make way for the column of tanks behind him.

A scream came from the edge of the group. Every head lifted from their search to look at the source. Nat turned her head in time to see one of the soldiers get pulled into the forest by something big. The echoing creams abruptly ended, and the forest was suddenly deathly quiet.

"Be on the lookout, we're not alone here." Steve whispered over the radio, scanning the treeline surrounding him.

Another scream from the other edge of the treeline. Steve spun around to watch as a Minotaur swung its axe into one of the sorcerers, slicing him in half. Another sorcerer tried to cast a spell, but another creature with blades for hands jumped up from a shadow on the ground and sliced the poor wizard's arms off.

"What the fuck is that?!" Someone screamed.

"Open fire!" Another replied.

Gunfire erupted through the forest as creatures began to emerge from the surrounding treeline. Minotaurs and undead, wraiths and cyclops began to pour out from the darkness, ravenously wading into the survivors.

"Fall back! Get into a defensive line!" Steve roared over the sounds of battle.

Gunfire and sorcerer spells lit the forest, revealing the decayed faces of the undead and the glint of the weapons they carried. The roar of the army of creatures began to overtake the sound of the defender's screams. Tanks began to pull away from the group to open fire into the bigger monsters. The Quinjets overhead layed down overhead fire, the whiz of their cannons sending a rain of thousands of bullets into the forest. It seemed no matter how many they killed, they only drew more and more towards them with the noise.

Steve heard a deep snort from behind. He felt the air pressure change, and he raised his shield over his head just in time to block a bladed staff from slicing him in half. He spun around, thrusting his shield at the creature behind him. His attack was blocked by the staff. It took Steve a moment to realize what was before him. Standing there was a Satyr Champion, its mouth drooling and the mist of its breath shooting out from its pierced nose.

"Okay, ugly. Let's dance." Steve said.

The Satyr roared as a reply, and the two engaged each other, martial artist to martial artist.

Bruce looked up at the hulking Cyclops before him. The creature looked down at him and roared, swinging its massive club down at the Avenger. Bruce grabbed the club in mid-swing and ripped it from the Cyclops' hand. The Cyclops looked at its now empty hand in confusion, giving Bruce enough time to swing the club into the Cyclops' face. The creature's head erupted in a burst of blood, and it fell lifeless to the ground.

"Nat, what do we do here?!" He asked as he grabbed a Minotaur by the neck and chucked it far into the air.

"We push through, we have to get to the stones before Kratos does!" She replied, tackling a Fates Sentry to the ground and double-tapping it in the skull before shooting another one as it attacked Wong. The undead creature stumbled as the bullets pierced its brain, then slumped to the ground.

"I had it under control, thank you!" Wong said.

"You're welcome." Nat replied.

/

Kratos flew over the trees of the Bog of the Forgotten. The sound of battle could be heard far in the distance, and he could see Quinjets hovering over the ground, sending volleys of tracer rounds into the trees below.

He continued his search, when in the bog's ponds, something caught his eye. Something was glowing in the deep of the water. Something long and pointed. He dropped altitude and dove into the water.

The faint glow of the stones could be seen piercing the pond's muddy waters. Kratos dove down for it, but felt something grab his leg. He looked behind him to see a siren, holding onto his ankle with her spindly, decayed hand. He swung a Blade of Chaos through the water, slashing through its gut. The creature leg go of Kratos' leg as its blood began to saturate the muddy water. Kratos turned around and grabbed the siren with both hands. The creature opened its gaping mouth to scream in Kratos' ears. The scream was painful, but he had heard it many times. He ignored the ringing in his ears and bent the monster's spine in half. More blood spilled into the water, darkening the depths even further. Kratos returned his attention to the blade, diving for it and pulling it from the sandy bottom.

Kratos swam himself back to the top of the bog. Not wasting any time, he raised the Blade to plunge it into the ground. The Blade of Olympus began to glow even more brightly as the power of the six stones began to charge.

"NO!" Tony roared, Sparta-kicking Kratos in the chest. The Blade fell into the shoreline of the bog.

Kratos tumbled into the rocks in the distance, sending cracks up the stone's wall. Tony activated his armor's thrusters and lifted slowly off the ground, aiming straight for Kratos. Kratos saw Tony's electrically charged fist aimed for his head, and pulled a Cestus out to block. The shock-wave in the two fists impacting one another sent Tony flying backwards across the sand. Kratos blasted for the Blade with all the speed his wings could give him.

Tony grabbed Kratos mid-flight by the leg and used the Spartans' own momentum to throw him into the ground. Tony's other hand aimed a Destroyer beam straight into the Spartan's face. Kratos felt his face begin to char as the beam blasted away at his face, and responded by stabbing a Blade of Chaos into the armor's palm. The beam stopped abruptly as Kratos ripped the blade out of the massive metal hand, utterly neutralizing it.

Kratos somersaulted backwards and got to his feet. Now that he was standing and focused, Tony could do nothing against Kratos as he danced around Stark's slow-moving armor. Tony's armor began to lose its integrity as the blades cut through the metal, over and over. Tony tried missiles, beams, lasers, plain old tackling, but he couldn't land a hit.

"Okay, Ghost, if I can't hit you, maybe I can do this."

Tony watched as a blade swung towards his armor. He waited for the right moment, then on his one last working hand, grabbed the chains attached to the Blades. Tony lifted his other arm to the sky. His suit began to act as a conductor as arcs of lightning shot from the sky into Stark, and from Stark into the chains, down their length into Kratos' body. Kratos felt the electricity hit his body, and his muscles began to contract and stiffen as the electricity engulfed his body.

But he had dealt with this before.

Tony watched as Kratos' body began to glow red with strange flame. Suddenly, the electricity lost its effectiveness as Kratos slowly raised himself off the ground. Kratos dug his feet into the ground and pulled on the chains, dragging Tony to the ground. Kratos stomped down on Tony's head, smashing it further into the bog's sandy shore. He stomped away at Tony's armored head until the Avenger had stopped moving. Tony was unconscious, or possibly dead. Without Lexie, he could only guess.

Once Tony had stopped moving, Kratos staggered his way to the Blade. He picked it up and raised it over his head.

"Special K…" Tony groaned. "...bring Peter back."

"Who?" Kratos asked.

As soon as he asked, there was a deafening horn that echoed through the air. Kratos looked up and saw something he thought he would never see again.

"Thanos…?"

A volley of missiles carpet-bombed the island, ripping up trees and creature alike. Kratos tried to dodge the attack, but the sheer volume of ordnance bombarding the island hit everything, including him. Kratos once again lost the Blade in the explosion as the island erupted in flame and dust. Trees shredded apart, water evaporated and mountains chattered. What remained of the temple was all but obliterated as the rain of fire came down onto everything.

The assault continued for some time, and after what felt like several-dozen minutes, the island fell silent once more. Kratos sat up and wiped the dust from his face. His once godly armor, the armor of the Ares, the first God of War, was cracked, dented and burnt, nothing more than dead weight. He took a bloodied, shaking hand and began to undo the useless metal that clad his chest and shoulders. The armor hit the ground with a hollow thunk, revealing his bare skin to the elements. He could breathe again.

Kratos stood up and looked around. The ground was ash, and the landscape was flat and featureless. The bog was covered in a layer of grey sediment. Even the mushroom cloud above had been swept away by the wind.

Tony slowly got to his feet behind him, the Thorbuster armor grinding and squeaking as metal rubbed on metal. Dust fell from its cracks and flaps.

A small blue beam projected from the hulking ship in the sky. The beam hit the ground in the far distance, and out stepped the Mad Titan himself, clad in full armor and wielding a dual-sided blade.

"How…?" Kratos asked.

"You mess with time, I guess time messes back." Tony replied. "We are not finished, you and I."

"For now, we are." Kratos replied. "Where is the Blade?"

The two looked around and saw nothing but ash coating the ground.

"My scanner's fried, thanks for that, by the way." Tony said. "That sword could be anywhere."

"Then we must find it."

"We? Did I just hear you say 'we', like we're partners or something?"

"For now, Stark, we have much larger concerns than you and I."

"I won't fight alongside a traitor, scumbag, murderer like you, Ghost."

"Perhaps I should let you fight Thanos alone, then?"

The two watched Thanos strut slowly across the landscape. He paused, then stuck his blade in the ground, placed his helmet on its tip, and sat down.

"What's he doing?" Tony asked.

"He is waiting for us to make the first move." Kratos replied.

"Then let's make it. Nat, Steve, anybody, do you copy?"

Silence.

"Looks like it might just be us." Tony said solemnly.

"We have defeated him before. We can do it again."

"Last time, we had Thor." Tony snapped.

The two approached the Titan as he sat, patiently waiting. Thanos watched silently as Tony and Kratos moved in.

"You could not live with your own failure." Thanos spoke calmly. "And where did that lead you? Back to me."

"I crushed your head between my hands, alien." Kratos responded. "I shall not hesitate to do it again."

"Yes, your Nebula showed me many things about you, warrior." Thanos replied. "Your heroic actions on Xandar, which ended in failure. The battle on...what was it called? Wakanda. Yes, that's right...which ended in failure. It is evident you failed again, seeing as this world still lives in the paradise I have given it, and you squabble among yourselves."

Kratos split from Tony, and the two began to flank the alien.

"I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive." Thanos continued, "but you've shown me that's impossible. As long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those who are unable to accept what can be. They will resist."

"We're all kinds of stubborn." Tony replied. "Some of us more so than others."

Tony gave Kratos a look.

"The universe fell to chaos." Kratos added. "War and death were the only consequences of your 'gift'."

"My point is further proven by that fact." Thanos added. "It has become clear what I must do. I will shred this universe down to its last atom. And then, with the stones you've collected for me, create a new one."

Thanos stood up and took his helmet from on top of his blade and placed it on his head.

"It will be teeming with life," He continued, pulling his blade from the earth, "That knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given."

"You know, ten seconds ago, _this_ guy was the madman." Tony said, pointing to Kratos.

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane." Thanos replied. "I will create a new, grateful universe from the ashes of this one. A sane universe. Without madness. Without...you."

"You think yourself a god. I. Slay. Gods." Kratos replied, the Blades of Chaos engulfing themselves in flame.

"So do I." Thanos replied.

Kratos charged the Titan, slashing his blades through his body, but Thanos only flickered as the blades swiped through him ineffectually.

"Crap." Tony exclaimed.

"I have seen your work, Spartan." Thanos' hologram said calmly. "To fight you would be the more honorable choice, but I have limited time, and there are larger things at stake here."

Massive pillars began to drop from the ship. The pillars rammed into the ground, and opened up, dispensing tens of thousands of Chitauri onto the charred island.

"I have acquired the stone's power signature." Thanos continued. "Unfortunately, you will be too busy to stop me. Die in the understanding that your bravery will die with you. No voices will sing your song. No books will tell your story. This universe will be forgotten, along with you and your friends."

Thanos' hologram shut down with a flicker, leaving only Kratos, Tony and Thanos' army. The ground shook with the approach of the horde. Sakaarans, Chitauri, Outriders, Gorillas, Leviathan. Tanks and space fighters. Every assortment of craft poured from the ship's hangars, and every soldier Thanos could muster was brought to bear.

Kratos felt the wounds taking their toll on him. The full brunt of a nuclear blast had left his bones partially fractured and his muscles slow. His body was charred from his fight with Tony. His armor was gone. His skin was burnt. He could feel his half-human body, after a decade of never ending battle, finally coming to terms with its own age. Perfect timing...

"Well," Tony said, shaking the dust out of his armor. "I'd like to say it was nice knowing you, but…"

"Save your strength." Kratos said. "I will take the left flank. You will take the right."

"Well...I _am_ on the right." Tony replied snarkily. "Yup, just take out a million bad guys with the Shirtless Wonder and a businessman in squeaky armor. No problem."

"Hey Tony...sor...we're late" Came a broken voice over the radio.

Tony looked behind him. What remained of the Avengers was trudging up to the battle line. Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, War Machine, Captain America, Okoye, M'baku, Wong and Korg. A couple Wakandans and one or two sorcerer's remained.

"You wouldn't happen to be hiding the actual reinforcements in your portal things, would you?" Tony asked.

"This is it…" Nat replied, frowning and out of breath.

"Hey flame sword guy." Korg said, placing himself next to Kratos. "Heard about your murder spree. I guess we're ignoring that and fighting together again? It'll be just like the good old days! Well, it was just one day...not even really, now that I'm thinking about it. Maybe more like a grand total of a few hours, six years ago-"

"Rock…" Kratos grunted. "Do not start."

"Fair enough." Korg replied, cocking his plasma rifle with a ka-chunk.

"Glad you could make it, for a second there I thought we were outnumbered…" Tony said sarcastically.

"There's a dozen or so of us, and how many of them?" Wong asked.

"Numbers, shmumbers. Haven't you heard of the Battle of Thermopylae?" War Machine asked.

"Had to bring up Spartans, didn't you?" Steve asked. "When this is done, Ghost, you and I need to have a talk. A long talk."

"I am not interested." Kratos replied.

"Last one to the sword is a rotten egg. And also, please find the sword everybody." Tony said.

"Sword?" Bruce asked.

"Big blue sword. Glowy, big blue sword. It's got the power stones on it. Can't miss it."

"Everybody, break off when you can...if and search for that sword. Thanos may already know where it is." Steve ordered.

"Shut up and let's do this!" Okoye hollered, sprinting towards the incoming horde.

There was an underwhelming battle cry as the dozen remaining Avengers charged towards the enemy.

As the Avengers charged, the sun disappeared behind a black cloud. The world went dark unnaturally fast. A dense, black fog began to pour into the valley of the battlefield from all directions, clouding the entire battlefield from view. From behind the Avengers, a strange wind began to sweep over the ash-fallen ground.

"What's happening?" Bruce asked. "I can't see a damn thing!"

"You will see." Kratos replied.

The group looked behind them as the wind grew stronger. Through the blackness, a strange form, as long as the battlefield itself, began to appear. The form grew in size as it drew nearer, and through the blackness, an army of ghostly shadows swept towards the Avengers.

"Brace!" Steve roared.

The group took defensive stances as the silent horde of ghosts approached, then blew past them towards the Chitauri army. The shades, not much more than smoke, armor and skeletal faces, glided over the ground as they hovered past the group, the only sounds they made were from the wisps of the wind. Through the darkness of the fog, the sounds of Chitauri screams and gunfire began to ring out through the field. The Avengers remained nervously still as more and more shades brushed silently past them.

"What the hell are these things...?" Clint asked nervously.

"You wouldn't happen to know what this is about?" Steve asked the Spartan.

"Morpheus." Kratos replied.

"What, from The Matrix?" Wong asked.

Kratos gave Wong a scowl.

"Never mind, I'll just...roll with it." Wong replied, turning and charging into the battle.

"Seems like they're on our side, so I see yes, rolling with it works." Steve replied. "Alright, the tide has changed. Let's take advantage of it. Avengers!"

"Do not say it..." Kratos scowled.

"Assemble!" Steve roared.

"Ugh…"

The Avengers charged in and joined battle with Thanos' army. Kratos sprang from the ground, out of the darkness of the fog and flew toward the enemy's air support. He plowed through the Leviathans, entering one through its mouth, slashing through its insides, and bursting from its back. The next one, he landed on its face, and punched it into a collision course with another Leviathan. The two Leviathans crashed into each other and fell to the ground, crushing hundreds of Chitauri beneath.

Bruce looked up from beating a Gorilla into pulp. All he could see was Kratos' energy wings as they glowed through the blackness of the fog, followed by the explosions of the Leviathans overhead.

"Tell me again how we were going to beat that guy?" He asked.

Kratos slammed into the ground, ramming the Cestus into the earth. The ground shattered, creating cracks in the earth for the Chitauri to fall into. Hundreds of Thanos' soldiers fell into the molten depths below, screaming as they fell.

"I need an assist!" Came a voice from nearby. Kratos turned to see Steve getting piled on by a horde of Outriders. He knew Thanos was out there, somewhere, looking for the Blade. It was a matter of seconds whether he found it or not. He weighed his options.

_I...never asked you to come with me._

"Somebody help me out, here!" Steve yelled over the radio.

The weight of the Outriders began to lift off of him. There was a grunt as Kratos threw each Outrider far away, into the path of oncoming Sakaarans. Each Outrider struck a Sakaaran, killing them both with the momentum of the throw.

Kratos picked Steve up by the hand.

"Why?" Steve asked.

"I'm a monster." Kratos replied. "But I made a promise to somebody not to be. Perhaps there is hope for me yet."

Steve looked to the ground and sighed.

"Go. Find the son of a bitch. You're the only one who can find him fast enough." Steve said.

"You trust me?" Kratos asked.

"Not at all." Steve replied. "I can't stop you, but maybe you cam stop Thanos. Go. Undo this. Make it right. Please do the right thing."

Kratos nodded, then flew for Thanos.

"And bring back Thor, you son of a bitch!" Steve yelled after him.

/

"Faster." Thanos said. "It should be right here."

"We are trying, Sire." Ebony said, lifting entire tons of rock with a flick of his hand.

Thanos felt the presence of the Spartan behind him. He turned to face his enemy.

"This darkness is your doing?" He asked.

Kratos ignored him and approached slowly. No mistakes this time.

"You have grown to be a thorn in my side, and we haven't even met yet." Thanos grumbled.

Kratos scowled and charged the Titan. The two clashed blades. Kratos dodged and slashed, Thanos blocked and counterattacked. The two danced around each other. Just as it was on Xandar, Kratos was the better swordsman, and Thanos was slowly losing.

But Thanos smiled, even as Kratos nicked away at his armor and wore him down. Then, Thanos began to laugh.

Kratos' confusion lasted only seconds, until he felt a knife stab him into his rib. He staggered and swung a blade behind him. He turned to face a Nebula he had never met.

"I know you…" She said. "You killed my mother."

"What?" Kratos asked. The memory came to him. The Soul Stone. The child.

"_Stay safe, little Nebula." The woman whispered to the girl, wiping the tears from her daughter's confused eyes before turning away. The child realized what was happening and began to scream, reaching out for her mother. The mother took one last look back, one last smile for her child to remember, before stepping off the ledge._

"I-"

Kratos was interrupted by an attack by Corvus. He dodged the alien's spear and counterattacked with a slash across his chest. Corvus backed away, clutching his chest, only for Proxima and Cull to replace him. Kratos rolled out of the way of Cull's massive hammer and slashed at the giant's legs. Cull went down. Proxima leapt over Kratos, allowing him to slash at her as she jumped overhead. She blocked with her spear and landed behind him. Kratos swirled the blades over his head, forcing everyone back as the blades spun around him in a tornado of metal and fire.

Gamora slid under the blades and slashed at Kratos' legs. He grunted with pain, grabbed the green-skinned alien by the neck and instantly snapped it. Kratos saw a shadow over him. He held a blade over his head, Blocking Thanos' downward slash. Kratos dropped Gamora's lifeless body and spun around, slashing Thanos' knees. Thanos roared and knee'd Kratos in the chin. Kratos flew backward and hit the ground.

/

Natasha pulled a taser out of of a Sakaaran warrior. As she stood up, the wave of shades blew past her, plowing through Thanos' forces. The black smoke made it hard to see anything past her arms reach, but the screams of the Chitauri told her where to go. A figure suddenly formed through the darkness, running straight towards her, and she aimed her pistol for its head.

"Woah, woah, hold fire, trooper." Steve said as he came through the fog.

Nat lowered her aim and got back-to-back with Steve.

"Where's Ghost?" Nat asked.

"I sent him to find Raisinhead." Steve replied.

"What?!" Nat exclaimed.

"Did you want me to try to stop him?" Steve asked sarcastically.

Nat gave Steve an angry look and ran off into the darkness.

"Wait, Nat- oh jeez…" Steve said, chasing after her.

/

Kratos blocked Thanos' blade as it came down on him. The force dug Kratos into the ground, and ash sprang up with the impact.

"You seem slow, warrior." Thanos grunted as their blades ground against each other. "Are those wounds catching up on you?"

Kratos groaned and pushed Thanos off of him. Thanos rolled backward and hit the ground onto his back. Kratos got to his feet and blocked an attack from Proxima. He grabbed Proxima's spear and ripped it from her hands. Proxima stared at the Spartan with surprise as his blades stabbed through her gut. The smell of melting flesh filled the air as the Blades of Chaos burned through her organs. Proxima's body fell to the ground as Kratos pulled his blades from her.

"Sire!" Ebony said, "I've found it."

Kratos spun his head. Ebony held the Blade in the air, hovering just above his hand. Kratos tried to charge Ebony, but Nebula slashed his hamstrings from behind. Kratos felt the blade slice his skin, but not enough to disable him. Kratos spun to grab Nebula by the neck. As he did so, he saw the face of that child on Vormir. The face of the child whose mother sacrificed herself to save her.

But now was no time for mercy.

He squeezed her neck until her circuits began to spark. Her eyes bugged out as her neck was irreversibly crushed. He let go and let Nebula squirm on the ground, gasping for air through a windpipe that would never allow it again.

Kratos turned back towards Ebony. Thanos was reaching for the Blade. Kratos sprinted at him, reaching him just in time to tackle the Titan to the ground. There was a struggle as the two wrestled for the blade. Ebony flicked his wrist, and Kratos was lifted off of Thanos and flung into the distance. Thanos got to his feet and grabbed the Blade with both hands.

"Of all the creatures I've slaughtered…" Thanos said exasperatedly, "You were the most troublesome."

Kratos stood up slowly, fighting against the force of Ebony's power holding him down.

"But, like all of the rest," Thanos said as he picked up the Blade. "You failed to stop me."

Thanos plunged the Blade into the ground. The Blade glowed white with the power of the infinity stones. Thanos grinned from ear to ear as the ground cracked and shattered from the power of the Blade.

But Thanos' smile turned into a frown of confusion as Kratos remained. The Universe remained. The battle waged on in the distance. Nothing seemed to change.

"What is wrong with this thing?!" Thanos roared.

He looked down at the stones.

One was missing.

"No..." Thanos murmured as Kratos stood stiffly in the distance, clutching the power stone in his hand.

Kratos felt the Power stone slowly eat away at his body, his veins glowing purple as the stone's instability infected his hand. Kratos opened his mouth, and dropped the stone down his throat.

"NO!" Thanos screamed as Kratos' body began to glow.

Kratos' eyes began to shine with a purple glow as the Power Stone took hold of his body. He grimaced as his organs began to burn from the inside. But it didn't matter. He only needed his body to hold out long enough to finish this.

Kratos strode towards Thanos as Ebony desperately tried to hold him back.

"I can't hold him, father!" Ebony shrieked, flinging entire mountains of rock and vegetation at the maelstrom pacing slowly towards his master.

Kratos ignored Ebony's attacks as if they were a light breeze. With each step he took, the ground below him split apart. The ground shook as his feet landed against the dirt. Rocks surrounding him began to levitate off the ground as the sheer power of the demigod began to warp the gravity of the island.

"Rain fire…" Thanos mumbled. "Rain fire! I want every gun on that man right now!"

Kratos heard the command. He turned his head to watch as thousands of ship-killing plasma bolts came screaming down from the ship towards him. He ignored them. The plasma hit his body as if they were rain drops. The ground around him vaporized as the ship's entire arsenal unloaded on him, but he shrugged it all off. Thanos died today. No more mistakes. He ignored the agony of the Power Stone ripping through his flesh and kept his burning eyes on Thanos.

The ship's weapons suddenly halted their bombardment, and turned their attention to something coming from the atmosphere. A small, orange streak of energy came flying through the fallout clouds, ramming through Thanos' cruiser. The ship broke in half as the attacker flew in and out of the ship's hull. After a few seconds, the ship lost stability and broke apart entirely, crashing down onto the island surface.

Ebony pulled his hand inward, and Kratos felt the Power Stone begin to push outwards on his stomach. He turned his attention to Ebony, and a beam of purple energy burst from his eyes, burning a massive hole in the alien's gut. Ebony looked down at the gaping hole where his chest used to be, and fell to the ground.

Thanos tried to swing the Blade at Kratos, shooting every form of the Stone' magic at him. Kratos stomped into the ground, and the ground destabilized entirely, Knocking Thanos off balance for but a millisecond, just enough to knock his aim towards the sky. The beam from the Blade shot into the air, hitting the atmosphere, splitting the clouds apart and creating a multicolored aurora to form in the night sky. Kratos closed the gap between him and Thanos. He aimed a Power Stone-fueled fist for the alien's head, but his fist only met with the air as Thanos teleported behind him. A flash of green hit Kratos, slowing him down in mid-punch. Thanos aimed to plunge the Blade through Kratos' back.

"Strength isn't everything, warrior." Thanos mumbled, allowing himself a smirk as his enemy fell to the ground in slow motion.

_A good warrior uses his wits._

The leviathan axe sliced through the fog, and unfortunately for Thanos, he was between the axe and Kratos' hand. The axe hit Thanos' hamstring, momentarily breaking the Time Stone's hold on Kratos. Kratos hit the ground, spun around and grabbed Thanos by the head with both hands. Thanos screamed as the Power Stone slowly burned its way through his skull.

"The cycle ends here." Kratos grunted as purple flame sprang from his disintegrating mouth.

Thanos let out a weak roar, and Kratos felt the sting of a thousand needles as the Blade of Olympus pierced his stomach. He looked down as Thanos pushed the blade further and further through the Spartan's gut.

"You're coming with me then." Thanos shrieked as Kratos' hands crushed down on the Mad Titan's skull.

"Fine."

With a little push, Kratos crushed Thanos' head utterly in between his hands. Nothing much remained of the Mad Titan's skull after the Power Stone was done with it. Thanos' head popped like a dust-filled balloon.

Kratos dropped to one knee and looked down at the Blade sticking out of his stomach. He didn't have much time before the Power Stone reduced his body to ashes. With one hand, he ripped the Blade from his gut. Instead of blood, burning Purple fluid came pouring from the wound and hit the ground, melting the earth where it dropped. His other hand he plunged into the stomach wound, pulled out the Power Stone and jammed it into the Blade. He grasped the Blade with both of his burnt, scarred hands and quickly aimed the tip of the Blade for the ground.

He pushed the Olympian sword for the earth, but was halted suddenly. He looked down at the small woman between his blade and the ground.

"I...can't let you!" Captain Marvel roared.

Her hands shone through the fog with cosmic power as they held the Blade in place. Kratos closed his eyes and focused on Loki. On the last five years. On everything he did wrong.

There was a flash of purple, and the Blade of Olympus sliced through Marvel's hands, plunging through her collarbone, through her lungs and out through her spine, finally making its way into the ground.

There was a bright flash, and the Island of Creation was engulfed in light.

/

Kratos stood in a strange place. He was standing on an infinitely flat, reflective surface. Everything was lit with a dim orange glow, and in every direction he looked, a calm cloud formation rested across the horizon. Everything was still and calm here. No battle, no death.

Not too far from where he stood lay a small cottage. The cottage from his life on the North. He walked up to it, and opened the door. Inside was just as he remembered it, before Odin. Kratos closed his eyes and took in the familiar smells. A hand rested lightly on his shoulder, but he dare not open his eyes.

"My love."

"Faye."

"Did you do what was best for our son?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you did the right thing?"

"I do not know."

/

Captain Marvel awoke on the surface of the Island. The trees were green again. No fallout, no ash, no shades swarming the battlefield, no Chitauri littering the ground. No Thanos

She lifted herself off the ground and gasped. She shot her hand to her neck and felt her collarbone. No stab wound. Not even a scar.

She looked around. Beside her lay Kratos, his skin burnt, the Blade of Olympus smoldering on the ground beside him. She jumped up, snatched the blade from the ground and pointed the tip at Kratos' neck. Kratos moved his eyes to meet hers.

"What did you do?!" She roared.

"Wait!" Came a voice from the trees.

Marvel hesitated and looked toward the source of the voice.

Just in front of the treeline opened up an orange portal, and out stepped Strange, along with Drax, Mantis, Quill, and some boy Kratos had never met.

Strange walked up to Marvel and held out his hand. Marvel handed him the blade, which he took. He returned the Time Stone to his amulet, and in a puff of magic, the Blade was gone.

"Safe keeping until we can get those stones back where they belong." Strange explained.

Natalia and Steve burst through the treeline at full speed.

"What happened?" Steve asked. "What did he change?"

"We have to wait and see, but I think he did it." Strange stated.

"So...everyone's back?" Nat asked.

"I'm not sure." Strange replied. "I guess we'll have to ask him. If he gets back up."

Kratos lay on the grassy earth. His arms weren't moving, and his skin was charred by the Power Stone. His hands were burnt away by the Blade's energy. All he could move were his eyes. He could hear the muffled conversations as they stood over him. He guessed they were trying to rouse him, but he couldn't care less what they wanted. He was tired, and he had one more thing to do. He hoped Eternity was feeling generous, and closed his eyes.

/

"GOOD WORK, SPARTAN. YOUR COMRADES DON'T KNOW IT YET, BUT IT IS DONE. THE BALANCE HAS RETURNED TO THE UNIVERSE. YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR TASK."

Kratos looked up at the infinite might of the entity above him.

"My favor to you is done. Now I have a favor to ask of you." Kratos said, looking into the Eternity's eyes.

Eternity looked back into Kratos' eyes.

"I KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU ASK. SHOULD YOU ASK THIS OF ME, YOUR PATH WILL BE FOREVER CHANGED."

"Can they defeat Thanos without me?" Kratos asked.

Eternity sighed.

"THEY CAN, BUT IT IS A FOURTEEN-MILLION-TO-ONE CHANCE THEY WILL SUCCEED. IT WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER TIMELINE, NOT YOUR OWN."

Kratos sighed. "I must do what is best for my son."

"VERY WELL, SPARTAN. I WILL GRANT YOU THIS ONE FAVOR."

"Two favors."

"TWO?"

"Two."


	25. Ghost No More

**25**

**Ghost No More**

Thor gasped desperately, clutching his throat as he assessed his surroundings. He was under a pile of rubble and debris, and something was wrapped around his neck. He punched his way out of the rocks and shambled to his feet. He was surrounded by the remains of the Fate's Temple. It looked as if a bomb had gone off around him. He reached a hand to his neck, feeling the thread that was tangled around it. He held his arm to the air and opened his hand.

"Come on, darling…"

A few seconds passed, and finally the rubble split apart, freeing Stormbringer from its tomb. The massive axe flew to Thor's hand, and with a few quick slices, he cut all the thread from his neck.

"Kratos…" He said to himself, suddenly remembering the battle.

He scanned the forest that surrounded him. There seemed to be no evidence of the Spartan anywhere. Birds chirped, the sun shone overhead, and the island was silent.

"Thor!"

Tony came tromping through the woods, still sealed inside the Thorbuster armor. He burst through the treeline and skid to a halt in the clearing.

"Stark?" Thor asked, still disoriented. "What are you wearing? Is that...Asgardian technology?"

"Oh, this? Ah...don't worry about it." Tony said nonchalantly. "Congratulations, you are officially a zombie god. How was Valhalla?"

"If there was one, I don't remember it..." Thor asked, feeling his neck.

"Disappointing, but not surprising" Tony replied. "Looks like you're not the only one. Nebula's alive, so is the raccoon...thing-"

"HIs name is Rodent, I believe..or perhaps Rocco- Wait, what? Who is dead and who is alive? What did I miss?!" Thor asked, growing more confused the more information Tony gave him.

"Everyone." Tony replied. "Everyone is alive."

/

"Brother..Brother! Wake up, you made it!"

Kratos' eyes slowly opened. His vision unblurred after a few blinks. IV bags, wires, computers, everything coloured white. He was lying in a bed, bandaged and splinted.

A hospital. A place of weakness. Kratos recalled the years when he simply walked off such wounds. It's a damn wonder mortals survive the way they do at all. Kratos considered the days when age overtook his godhood.

"Looks like you did it, old boy!" Mimir said enthusiastically. "They found me in the fields of Wakanda and brought me right here. Everyone's back. Even the ones you...ahem...unceremoniously murdered."

"Loki…" Kratos croaked. His throat was dry, and it felt like he had been hit by...well, a nuclear bomb.

"He's outside actually. He said he had some words to say to you. In fact, there's a very long line of angry and confused people who want to talk to you."

"Ugh…"

Kratos tried to get up, but his body was still healing from the Power Stone's damage. His head fell back and hit the pillow with a quiet whump.

"Bring him." Kratos said.

"Right, I'll just hop off this table and grab him for you." Mimir replied sarcastically. "You couldn't have remembered to give me my body back, huh?"

"There was much to remember to do…"

"Ah, I'm mostly kidding, no hard feelings." Mimir sighed longingly. "I doubt I'd know what to do with arms if I had them anymore, anyway. Just use the nurse call button."

Kratos groaned and looked down at his charred hands. In his right hand was a small remote with a red button. He pressed it, and a high-pitched ding momentarily filled the room. The door opened, and in walked a nurse he was vaguely familiar with. One of the on-call medical staff from the Avengers Facility. At least he knew where he was now.

"My son…" Kratos whispered.

"I'll bring him in." The nurse replied, promptly leaving the room.

"Well, at least now we know what happens when you go on adventures without me." Mimir said, trying to fill the silence. "You go absolutely bonkers."

"I did what was best for my son…" Kratos said.

"I'm sure that didn't have to involve killing your own friends." Mimir argued, his voice sounding more and more like a lecturing mother to Kratos' ears by the second.

"The job is done." Kratos replied, not really interested in a moral argument at the moment.

"Yes, true. Heard you killed Thanos twice. He's almost as hard to kill as you are."

"Almost." Kratos replied.

"You're up." Loki said, having suddenly appeared in the corner of the room.

"I am." Kratos replied, turning his eyes to his son.

"I heard what you did." Loki said. "I...I had a whole speech planned. Now, I'm not sure what to say."

Loki left the darkness of the corner. He was dressed in mortal clothes. A suit and tie. His hair was slicked back and he seemed to show no signs of the battle on the fields on Wakanda.

"You are well?" Kratos said before coughing up blood and blood spattered onto the bandages on his chest.

"Better than you." Loki replied, eyeing the blood. "I'll get you a nurse."

"I am fine." Kratos said sternly, wiping his mouth with his bandaged hand.

"I...why did you bring me back?" Loki asked, trying to find the right question.

"You were dead. I didn't accept it." Kratos replied.

"You have a habit of not accepting reality?"

"Yes."

"Well...I guess...all evils aside, I suppose gratitude is in order, but-"

"It is not required. You are alive. That is all that matters."

Loki lowered his eyes and nodded his head.

"I don't think I can stay here." Loki said finally.

"What?"

"Asgard is gone. Well, the real Asgard. It's throne is dust. My one goal I have strived for for a thousand years is gone. Without it, who am I? The trickster god of some bygone era?"

"Our godhood does not define us." Kratos said. "Once, my one meaning to exist was the death of my father. After it was done, I had nothing to live for. Had I succeeded in killing myself, I wouldn't have met Faye. I wouldn't have defeated Thanos. Thor wouldn't have had a brother. Your best choice now is to live on."

"Live on and do what?" Loki asked, desperation growing in his eyes. "What if our blood is too tainted? What If...I become like you?"

Kratos sighed.

"I have seen you change, even in the few months we fought together. You grew to learn honor, bravery, and a warrior's spirit. You fought on Wakanda by my side, against Thanos, not with him. You are already better than I am, and you have a long road ahead of you. Your mother would be proud."

Loki looked at the floor. "I'm sure Thor would have something to say about that."

"Thor isn't a monster." Kratos said quietly. "He knows very little of such things. You are not going to become me. You must be better, and you will be."

Kratos looked towards the window. "Hold out your arm."

Loki gave Kratos a look of confusion, then did as he was told. There was a moment of silence, then the Leviathan axe burst through the window into Loki's hand.

"You are ready." Kratos said.

Loki felt the weight of the axe in his hands. "I still have no idea what you mean by ready.."

"It means you've outgrown me." Kratos said. "Where you go now, I cannot follow."

Loki moved to the visitor's chair, carefully stepping over the broken glass of the window. The nurse burst through the door and stared at the window, the axe, and the two immortal creatures in the room.

"Excuse me," Loki said. "Gods talking here. _Leave_."

The nurse gave the two a distrustful look, and slowly closed the door, leaving the two alone once again.

"If I might interject," Mimir said, "I'm sure the dwarves wouldn't mind some help rebuilding. Perhaps your destiny lies on Nidavellir?"

Loki smirked for a moment.

"I suppose I may as well make myself useful. The universe does need some fixing after all this. Perhaps They'll make me a nice helmet. With _massive_ horns..."

"Thank you, father, for putting your faith in me when no one else did." Loki said, placing the axe on his back and having one last look into his father's eyes.

Kratos nodded.

"Perhaps our paths will cross in the future." Loki mentioned.

"Perhaps." Kratos replied.

"_Perhaps_ you might want to consider taking me?" Mimir said. "I know my way around Nidavellir quite well."

"Um, I think father needs you more than I do." Loki replied. "As a...moral compass if nothing else."

"Suit yourself." Mimir huffed. "Say hi to Brock and Sindri for us."

Loki nodded, and looked up to the sky. In a poof of light, he as gone.

"I think he'll do alright." Mimir said. "He has a lot of potential."

"He will be fine." Kratos stated. "He is a Spartan."

/

"Now, take it easy for a few more days." The nurse said. "You're still healing."

Kratos removed the bandages from his arms and chest. His arms and hands still had the veiny burn marks where the Stone's energy hit him the worst. Perhaps they would heal over, perhaps not. Just another scar for the aging Spartan. He flexed and released his fingers, testing their dexterity. They were stiff but functional.

"There's some clothes for you in the drawer." The nurse said. "I'll leave you to get changed."

The nurse left the room, leaving Kratos and Mimir alone once again. The last couple days, the two had little else to do but talk and discuss the situation. They watched the news, about the return of the planet's missing population, about the adjustment and the sudden demand of the planet's infrastructure. About how the world wasn't ready for three-and-a-half billion people to suddenly pop back into existence.

"Do you think we did the right thing?" Mimir asked. "I mean, we brought them all back, but...famine, disease, pollution are all back with a vengeance...and the planet was chugging along just fine without us."

"We did the right thing." Kratos said confidently. "I was not…'chugging along just fine' without you."

"Fair," Mimir commented. "Well, get changed, we have a few people to have a chat with."

Kratos sighed heavily and opened the drawer. Jeans and a tee-shirt.

/

Kratos opened the door to the room his was cooped up in the last couple days. Finally. Freedom.

"Kratos…"

Kratos closed his eyes in aggravation, and cocked his head to look at the all-too familiar voice.

"Thor." Kratos grunted.

"You killed me." Thor said.

"You got in my way."

"We could have helped one another!"

"You came to the temple to stop me."

"The raccoon told me about your incident with the Krylorians, what were we supposed to think?!"

"They, too, got in my way. They, too, are alive once again."

Thor smacked his palm into his forehead.

"You're a madman!"

"Thanos is dead. You are not."

"I...I really don't know what to think."

"Would you rather I left you dead?"

"Of course not."

"Then do not complain."

Kratos turned away to head for his own room, leaving the befuddled Asgardian standing there.

"Ghost to the head office, immediately." Steve's voice said over the intercom.

Kratos rolled his eyes and trudged his way to the office hall.

The door opened to Steve's office, and there stood the Captain America, with a reluctant look on his face.

"Ghost." Steve said.

"Captain." Kratos replied.

"You did it." Steve said. "With...strangely...minimal casualties."

"No thanks to you."

"When you came here, I didn't know what to think of you, whether you'd be a boon or a hindrance." Steve continued. "I still have absolutely no clue."

"Absolutely none at all." Came a voice from the corner.

Fury stepped out from behind the door and placed himself next to Steve.

"But, you got the job done, if not through_..._unorthodox methods." Fury continued. "Because of you. I'm here, and able to give you this."

Fury held out his hand. Kratos approached Fury and looked in his hand. It was an Avengers insignia.

"Fury seems to think you earned it." Steve said.

Kratos looked at the insignia for a moment. The room was deathly quiet. Kratos thought about his past 5 years. Sure, he saved people, but he killed people too. Did it balance out? Was he deserving of the title of Avenger? Even without Athena breathing down his neck, whispering poison into his mind, he still couldn't shake her words.

"I cannot." Kratos said.

"You accomplished the mission, and saved my life." Steve said reluctantly. "Take it."

"The job got done, and you saved a lot of people." Nick said. "That's the Avenger mission statement."

Kratos backed away from Fury. "My vengeance is ended. Thanos is dead. The cause I joined you for died with him."

Fury looked down at the emblem in his hand, then calmly closed his fingers around it and placed the emblem in his coat pocket.

"So, what, is it finally retirement time for the mighty Ghost of Sparta?" Fury asked.

"Not yet." Kratos said. "There is still much to do, but not here."

/

"Did you want anything? I'm going out to pick up those bulbs we need for the bathroom...Wong?"

Strange approached Wong, who was sitting at the reading a book at his desk and waved his hands in front of the oblivious librarians face. Wong gasped and pulled the headphones from his ears.

"What?" Wong asked impatiently.

"Did. You. Want. Anything. While I'm out?" Strange repeated himself condescendingly.

"If you could grab those lightbulbs for the bathroom, that'd be great." Wong said.

Strange thought of saying something, but decided it wasn't worth the effort.

"Yup. Great. I'll do that." He said, holding back his irritation.

"Awesome, Thanks boss." Wong said before putting the headphones back into his ears.

Strange turned and headed for the stairs. As he made it halfway down, there was a knock on the door. A heavy, brutish knock, not from anyone normal, with any sense of manners of decorum. Strange flicked his hand, and materialized a blade of light, which he hid behind his back as he cautiously opened the door.

"What do you want?" Strange asked.

There was a metallic thud as the Blade of Abaddon landed at Strange's feet.

"You wanted this back." Kratos mumbled.

"Oh! Uh, yeah. Thanks for that. Right." Strange said, eyeing the demon blade at his feet.

Strange bent down to pick up the blade.

"Anything else?"

"You protect the Blade?" Kratos asked. "And the stones?"

"For now, until Bruce can send them back." Strange replied.

"When you return the stones to their time," Kratos started, "Ensure the Ancient One knows to give that to me when I come to her temple."

"Sorry, you're asking me to willingly tell whoever goes back to tell her to give you the Blade of Abaddon, so you can lose it on Xandar, so it can get flushed to Sakaar, so Abaddon's massive army of cultists can bring him back from the pit we banished him to? Is that what you're asking me?" Strange asked, confused.

"Without that blade, things may not have been set in motion for me to defeat Thanos. It may be necessary." Kratos replied sternly.

"This is ugly. I don't like it." Strange said, looking down at the black leather sheath.

"It is. But this is how it must be." Kratos replied.

"Well, if she gave it to you...Fine." Strange said reluctantly. "You want anything? Tea?"

"No."

"Then you'll have to excuse me, I have to put this back into the vault." Strange said, turning around and mumbling to himself. "You go out to get lightbulbs, you get a demon sword..."

Strange's voice trailed off as the door slowly closed on Kratos' face. The door clicked, leaving Kratos alone on the busy New York streets.

"Next on the list?" Mimir asked.

/

Natalia sat in her chair, using her leg to spin slowly in the seat. She reached into her popcorn and pulled out a handful, placing the entire clump into her mouth at once. The hairs rose on the back of her neck. Her first instinct was to spin around and pull her Glock from the compartment on the arm of her chair, but every man has their distinct musk.

"Are you ever _not _going to sneak up on me when you wanna talk?" Nat asked.

"You will lose your skills if you do not use them." Kratos replied, moving out from the shadows of Nat's living room. The two sat in an awkward silence for a couple seconds.

"What?" She asked, shrugging at Kratos as he stood there, hoodie and jeans clothing his pale figure.

"I have spoken with Clint. About Vormir."

"We're not talking about this."

"We are."

Nat scoffed and spun around in her chair to face the TV. Kratos heard the sound of a hand wading through a popcorn bag.

"Natasha…"

"Fine! You wanna talk? Who did you throw off that ledge?!" Nat said, spinning her chair back around and staring Kratos down.

Kratos looked into Nat's eyes and sighed.

"A woman."

Nat's eyes looked to the roof, and her shocked smile desperately tried to hide her horror. She cleared her throat and composed herself.

"How could you?" Nat said, barely hiding her emotions behind her disciplined composure.

"I did what had-"

"What had to be done?" Nat finished his sentence. "It's our job to sacrifice ourselves, it's our job! You threw an innocent to her death!"

"She chose her path. I threw no one."

"After you dragged her to the pit."

"...Yes."

"Why would she do that?"

"She did it for her daughter."

"My God, Kratos…"

Nat turned her head away from the Spartan in her living room and wiped the two single tears coming from her eyes.

"You threw a mother-"

"Her daughter was a servant of Thanos."

"Yeah, you think having a dead fucking mom helped with that maybe?!"

"Thanos would have killed Nebula's mother and taken her for himself. It was always her destiny to become Thanos' servant."

"Nebula's mother?" Nat asked, now only becoming more confused.

"Yes."

Nat sat back in her chair and processed all the info she was given.

"Her death was inevitable." Kratos said quietly.

There was a long pause, the tick of the clock on the wall the only thing breaking the silence between them.

"I was going to do it." Natasha replied. "I was going to throw myself off that cliff. Barton has a family, it was an easy choice. Did you know that it was Nebula's mother when you brought her there?"

"No."

Nat gave Kratos a shocked smirk.

"You kill an innocent mother, then you defend it with knowledge you gained after the fact. Leave my house."

"Nata-"

"Out!"

Nat threw her empty glass at Kratos, which hit him in the shoulder. Kratos looked down at the broken glass on the carpet floor, the few drops of red wine leaking out and absorbing into the fabric.

"What did the Red Room make you do?" Kratos asked.

There was a silence as the TV continued to play on.

"That's not me anymore." Nat replied.

"Humans tied to posts as target practice." Kratos said.

"Don't you dare make this about me."

"Killing your fellow students...for good grades."

"I told you to get out!"

"All that death. Imagine how quickly you would return to it, should your child require it of you."

"The Red Room made me barren, so I'll never know, thanks for reminding me."

"Now, imagine you had already lost one child before. And a wife..two wives. Imagine then, what you would do for your last surviving child. The lengths you would go."

"Nothing you say will make this better. Nothing. You let your personnel file define you, Ghost. You're nothing more than a monster to me."

Kratos stared at the chair facing away from him, nothing more than the red hair of the Black Widow peering over the edge. He took one last look, and left through the front door, slamming it behind him.

Natasha's thoughts were overwhelming. She paused her show and stared out into her back porch, at the night sky. The vehicle sounds were back to normal. Sirens. Dogs barking. Traffic lights. And she hated that she was around to see it.

/

Kratos sat on his bed, the avengers facility strangely quiet these past few days. Everyone was visiting family, taking well-deserved leave. But not him.

"Owner of Stark Enterprises, Anthony Stark has announced that he will step down as CEO of all Stark affiliates, saying that his focus will be on his family and on samaritan work. A press conference will be held on Tuesday to announce his replacement…"

The TV continued to exposit the events of the past week. Kratos sat and listened as he looked down at the Blades of Chaos, sitting quietly in his hands.

"Thinking of throwing them away again?" Mimir asked.

"Into the sun. Yes." Kratos replied.

"Can't keep throwing away your past, old friend. It has a habit of coming back to haunt you anyway."

"Perhaps it is time to accept that." Kratos said, standing up and throwing on a parka. "For now, we call on Eternity for his favors."

"It's June, and you're putting on _that_? What's our next errand?" Mimir asked.

"You mean when."

"When?"

/

"Hush, child. Shhh…"

Faye walked up to the cradle and picked up the crying baby hidden within. She hummed her lullaby, the magic lullaby that could soothe even the most angry Spartan. Her humming fell on Atreus' ears, and the child quickly fell asleep. Faye heard the door open, followed by the heavy steps of her husband. The gust of cold hit her back.

"How is he?" Kratos asked.

Faye smiled.

"You are home early. It was an easy hunt?" She asked.

She turned around, and her smile instantly turned cold.

"You are not my husband, who are you?" She asked, reaching her hand out for the axe in the corner of the room.

The axe shot into her hand, and she took a position between Kratos and Loki's crib. Kratos placed a finger on his lip and slowly reached for the Greek blade strapped to his back. Faye's brow furrowed in confusion as the blade's outline reached her senses.

"Husband?" She asked, lowering the axe to her side.

"Faye." He said, all of his strength holding him back from embracing the woman before him.

"You are older. When are you from?" Faye asked.

"Very far in the future." Kratos replied. "You are not safe here."

Faye looked into Kratos' eyes and placed a hand on his temple. Her expression changed with every memory she took from his mind. Her own death, Odin, the millennia of loneliness, Loki's death, Thanos.

"You should not have come." Faye said, pulling her hand away from Kratos.

"You know your fate." Kratos said. "How can you say such things?"

"Because this is the way it must be!" Faye replied, looking back at her son. "It is my destiny. The universe requires it. Without my death, we can never know if these evils you will face are defeated."

"They can be." Kratos replied, placing his finger and thumb on Faye's chin. "Without you, I am lost. Loki is lost."

Faye chuckled.

"It only took you two thousand years to agree with my choice of name." She replied.

Kratos huffed with a small amount of amusement. "Yes."

Faye turned to check on Loki. He was fast asleep, ignorant of the winter chill that surrounded him.

"Faye, Odin has found you. He will be here within the week. You must flee. Loki needs his mother. He needs his father. Odin will keep his true identity from him until it is too late."

Faye looked at the baby in the crib and ran her fingers through his hair.

"You are confident your friends can defeat the evils they face without you? This 'Thanos'?"

"It can be done." Kratos replied. "We must do what is best for our son."

Faye sighed.

"Where do you suggest we go?"

"Far away. The deepest forest, or across the ocean." Kratos said. "The mountains, the desert, it matters not, just away from here."

"I know a place, an old cottage surrounded by forest. Plenty of game, water..." Faye replied, quickly pushing away from the crib and pulling a bag from a hook on the wall. "I will place a concealment spell around it, Odin will never find us."

"Faye."

Faye stopped scurrying around the house and turned to face Kratos. Kratos approached the Frost Giant and wrapped his arms around her. Faye gasped with surprise, then wrapped her arms around him.

"I have missed you." Kratos whispered.

Faye said nothing, but tightened her arms around this husband from another life.

"You should go soon, my love. You will soon return from the hunt. I have to think of a reason for us to leave. He._.._you...will not understand." Faye said.

Kratos released Faye from his grasp and let her continue to scurry around the house. He took one last look at the child in the crib and turned towards the door.

"Thank you, wife." He said before opening the door, and strode into the cold.

/

Kratos stood over the pyre, upon which Faye's body burned. It was cold, and his leather pelt provided very little protection, but it gave him a distraction from his anger, and from his grief. Sadness he never learned how to show. Sadness the boy didn't need to see on his face. It was a long journey ahead, and Atreus was not ready for it. He would need all the strength Kratos could give him.

"What are we hunting?" Atreus asked, scampering up to Kratos and tugging on the bowstring in his hand.

"You and hunting deer." Kratos replied sternly.

"Which way?" Atreus asked after an awkward silence.

"In the direction of deer." Kratos replied bluntly.

Atreus shrugged with frustration.

"Okay, uh...this way." The boy said finally as he began to move into the snow-covered forest around them.

Kratos took one last look at the form of his wife before the body burned away forever. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something.

He thought he saw...himself.

Kratos turned his head to look, but the figure was gone. Kratos scanned the treeline, but no sign remained that anything was there.

"You coming?" Atreus called out.

Kratos grumbled with concern, then moved to catch up with his son.

/

"Poor sap doesn't know what he's got." Mimir whispered as the two hid behind a frozen tree. "Treats that kid like a chore."

"He is not yet me, head." Kratos replied quietly. "He will come to understand. They will learn to work together, eventually."

Kratos waited until Atreus and his younger self were out of sight, then he closed his eyes, opening the portal Eternity gifted him. He stepped through, back into his room at the Avengers facility.

"Too bad you didn't ask Eternity how it turns out." Mimir noted.

"It is their path, not mine. They must walk it alone."" Kratos replied, unzipping the parka and tossing it on the bed.

"How stoic of you."

Kratos sat down on his bed and sighed.

"What?" Mimir asked.

"After all my efforts...Faye still-"

"I'm sorry, brother. Perhaps it is just her destiny. You did your best."

The two sat and lamented Faye's death for a minute or two. Kratos didn't know how to feel. She had been dead two thousand years already, and he had already hardened from the grief it caused him. Her death aside, his son was safe, whether it was an alternate timeline or not. All that was left was to hope it was the right decision.

"You said you had two favors Eternity had to cough up?" Mimir asked.

"Yes."

"I assume you have a plan for the second one?"

"Yes. There is still two more people to save."

/

Kratos left the facility, dragging all his belongings behind him in a suitcase. The warm summer breeze caught his skin, and for once, he could truly feel it.

The roar of Fury's chopper rang overhead, landing down in the grass a few meters from the facility's front door. Fury jumped out and strode up to Kratos.

"You leaving?" Fury yelled as the chopper's engines shut down.

"Yes."

"I can't make you stay, but I have a -did you get a tan? Anyway, I have a deal for you. Stay on my payroll. You'll get to work alone, pick the jobs, and it'll be black ops. No HR, no media attention. You get to do the jobs...the way you do things. I'll even set you up with a nice place, I'm talking Meditterannean mansion here, anywhere in Greece. How does that sound?"

Kratos looked at his suitcase, then at Fury.

"Well...we _are _homeless right now…" Mimir said.

"I will work alone, and I will be able to say no." Kratos said after some internal deliberation.

"We both know retirement doesn't suit you, so I doubt you will." Fury replied. "Best deal you'll ever get."

"The home will be big enough for a family?"

Fury was taken aback by the question.

"Big enough for seven families, if you want. Why do you ask?"

Kratos looked down at his skin, its native olive pigmentation shining in the summer sun. For the first time in two thousand years, Kratos smiled.


	26. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"I will not wear this."

"You will, and you will enjoy it."

"Lysandra…"

"You look like a respectable man."

"I look like a clown."

Kratos stared at himself in the mirror. He had never worn a suit and tie, and it felt so...wrong.

"I think it looks rather smart." Mimir commented.

"There is no armor to protect me from the boredom of your friends." Kratos grumbled.

"Hush." Lysandra replied.

Lysandra tugged at Kratos' bow tie, realigning it with his neck.

"You are going to this dinner party, whether you enjoy it or not." Lysandra said sternly, brushing the lint from Kratos' shoulders.

"I will not enjoy it." Kratos replied coldly.

"Then suffer. You complain like an Athenian." Lysandra joked.

Kratos groaned, then moved away from the mirror to the balcony. The warm Mediterranean evening breeze brushed through his beard as he leaned against the balcony railings. He looked down at his hands. The wounds of the battle never fully healed over, but they matched the scar over his eye. He looked back to Lysandra as she carefully inserted her favorite earrings into her ears.

The calm was abruptly ended by the ringing of Kratos' cellphone, resting on their bed. Lysandra picked up the phone and answered it.

"How did you get this number?" She asked aggressively. "Oh, it's you…"

"She still hasn't learned caller I.D., huh?" Mimir asked.

"Not yet." Kratos replied.

Lysandra held the phone to Kratos. "It's him."

Kratos grabbed the phone and held it to his ear.

"What?" He asked impatiently. "I see...I will call you back."

Kratos hung up and placed the phone in his pocket.

"What did Fury want?" Lysandra asked.

"There is a scientist named Von Doom that needs to be destroyed." Kratos replied.

"Not tonight, we have our dinner. The very important dinner I've been planning for months!" Lysandra snapped.

"Wife…"

"I've already paid the babysitter!"

"It's been months since he called..."

Kratos eyed his wife down. Lysandra shrugged and sighed.

"Once a warrior, always a warrior. Fine! Go do your job. I'm still going to dinner, so be back in time for cocktails."

"I shall."

Kratos moved to the closet and opened up the drawer. Blades of Chaos, once a symbol of his evil, now used to destroy it. He wrapped them around his arms and let the wings of Eternity spring from his back. A gift Eternity never remembered to take away.

"Do not ruin the suit." Lysandra said, wrapping her arms around her Spartan husband.

"It is a scientist. It will be an easy job." Kratos replied.

Lysandra gave Kratos a kiss, and pushed him off the balcony. Kratos spun around and took flight before hitting the ground. As he soared over the oceans of Greece, Kratos pulled out his phone and dialed Fury's number.

"Fury. I am taking the job."


End file.
